Tales of Velavaren
by GydroZMaa
Summary: This is a series of tales that take place in the land of Velavaren, a world where humans are divided into races and kingdoms of their bird likeliness. Under the voice of world known as the Vox Maiden, there is balance and order. Under the wandering entity known as the Phoenix who guards the Vox Maiden with his eternal life, there is justice and wisdom.
1. The Vox Maiden - 1

The breath of a haunting melody drifted towards the traveler's ears. It far surpassed any song he had ever heard: it was so full of longing, so full of life.

_Where is that coming from?_ he wondered as his feet seemed to carry him towards the music. The more he traversed through the wilderness, the louder the song grew until he could clearly make out the voice of a girl singing past the thick trees.

_It's not too far now…_

What lay beyond the trees was unlike anything the traveler had ever seen: a cage wound of steel bars molded into intricately curved designs complete with lush greenery, a dainty little bed, and in the center of it all, sitting on a tall branch in a tree like a tame bird, was a girl.

Unlike her song, this girl was plain. She did not have the fanciful garments that matched her voice. No. She had nothing but dull brown silken fabric blowing softly in the spring breeze, and her hair did the same.

For a while, all the traveler did was stand there and listen to her sweet songs. She sang of the mountains and the power they carried; she sang of the vast seas and the mysteries they possessed; she sang of the sun and the moon and the sadness they overcame to be able to only watch the wonders of the world from above.

_How would she know of these things out here?_ the traveler wondered. _She is far from such sights, and yet she still sings of them as though she has known of them all her life._

Curious, he thought to speak to her.

"H-Hello?" he called from beyond the trees. Immediately after the wary word left his lips, the thicket stilled, and the girl jumped up in surprise. Her song was over.

"Who's there?" she asked in a startled voice, her head jerking back and forth, frightened beyond immobilization.

"It's alright," the traveler said carefully stepping out into full visibility. His bright red hair would most likely be the first thing that caught her eye, and it was.

Upon laying her sight on him, the girl's eyes softened, and she leapt gracefully down from her perch without ever so much as disturbing the moist grass beneath her bare feet.

"Your hair is so red," she breathed and walked towards him and extended her arms as far as she could past the sharp twine ensnaring the cage. Her face was riddled with wonder, yet jumpy with fright from having her song cut short by his greeting.

"If I may," she timidly spoke, "may I touch it?"

The traveler smiled and lowered his head just enough for her delicate fingers to reach out and stroke his bangs. Where he was from, red hair was a sign of lower standards, of common blood. Hearing her voice filled with such awe at the color of his hair was enough to make him look past all of the other names he had heard before.

"It's beautiful…" she giggled and retreated her arm back into her cage as soon as she was done examining it. The traveler was finally allowed to look upon her features again.

"What is your name?" he asked.

The girl shook her head. "I was never given one, as I don't need one."

The traveler quizzically arched his eyebrows. "And why would someone with such a lovely voice as yours not have a name?"

To his question, the girl shrugged. "It was never important, and I have never minded."

"Why are you inside this cage?" he then asked looking at the bars for a possible way inside. "Did the one who built this want to keep people away from being with you?"

"No," the girl quietly answered, her hands hugging her waist. "It was to keep me in."

_What a cruel fate_, thought the traveler. _To sing of such wonders of the world and never have a chance to see any of them is a terrible shame._

"If I find the key, may I come inside?" he asked.

The girl's eyes widened. She appeared to be taken aback from such a question, not because she was frightened, but because she couldn't understand why anyone would want to join her in her steel prison.

"Yes," she finally answered. "I would like that very much."

"Then I will find it," the traveler said, his spirit renewed at the thought of being able to meet her from beyond the bars.

And so, the traveler searched far and wide asking people from village to village, from town to town if they had heard of a key to unlock a cage that held a girl captive. Many had mistaken the cage for a large prison saying they should just ask the police about it, but they hadn't been any help either. Nevertheless, the traveler persisted ever eager to be able to open the girl's cage, and while he searched, her song began to change into a different tune.

* * *

The traveler's quest finally took him back to where he had started: a dark estate filled with stuffy pacing jobs, high-society upbringings, and magic he couldn't fully understand. It was here that he had taken nothing but the clothes on his back and left without saying a word to any of his family members—save for his youngest brother who had caught him sneaking out after staying up to do his studies.

_He has to be grown up by now_, the traveler thought as he pushed the gates open and walked down the compacted dirt road to the place he had once called home.

When he went to his room, he noticed that nothing had been changed except for the void feeling it left from his absence. The halls that had once been filled with laughter were silent now, and the hollow winds leaking from the cracks made the entire building moan under its settling weight.

Just as he was about to be convinced that no one was home, the traveler heard a voice that he had not heard in years.

"Allistor*?" This voice was deeper. It was not the voice of the teary-eyed brother he had left behind. It was that of a young adult. "Allistor, it's you!"

He knew this person. It took a little while for him to remember his name, but the word came to him, eventually.

"Arthur," he said. "It's been a while."

His brother snorted. "_Been a while?_ Allistor, it's been five years! Do you know how much you worried Mum and Da when you just left without telling us like that?"

"Extremely?" he guessed.

"_Extremely!_" Arthur repeated. "And I don't suppose you have something to make up for all of your years of absence?"

"No, but I have something I'm looking for."

His brother sighed. "And what would that be?"

"A key."

Arthur furrowed his caterpillar eyebrows. "A key? What in the world are you babbling abo— ? Wait. A key…a key to where?"

"A cage."

Allistor couldn't be sure what exactly provoked his brother into acting the way he did, but he knew that if he hadn't moved out of the way in time, it wouldn't just be his cheek that was stinging from a fresh cut. When the fury and noise had stopped, he saw that his own brother had grabbed the empty candelabra from the nearby shelf and had swung it with full force at his head.

"She saw you, didn't she?" he asked in a low voice.

"Aye."

"And if you're here, then that means you must have heard about what she really is."

"Aye."

"…She will die if she leaves that cage."

"No, she won't. I will keep her safe. I will make sure she continues to sing. I promise you that."

"And if you can't keep that promise?"

"Then I will take full responsibility."

Arthur sighed and set the candelabra down. "I suppose it can't be helped at this point, but if you do convince her to leave the cage, know that when she sings, her songs must be pure. If not…"

"I know, but you don't have to tell me what won't happen."

His brother didn't look convinced. "Can I really trust you to keep it safe?"

"No," Allistor answered, "but you can trust me to keep _her_ safe."

"After guessing what you've been through, I don't doubt that," Arthur grumbled and led him to the key's safekeeping.

* * *

At long last, Allistor returned to the same place where the girls' song had captured his heart. He didn't have to ask for the directions towards the lonely thicket where not even the darkest dwelling creatures strayed. His own determination led him right back to the cage.

When his eyes fell on her again, she was still the same unchanged girl with the plain clothes and the plain features on her blemished face, but her very existence hadn't failed to stop capturing his attention. Just the thought of being able to be in the same place with her made his heart beat faster as he walked right up to the cage with the key.

As he approached the cage, the singing stopped, and the girl came into view.

"You came back," she smiled. "I was afraid that you had left me here."

"I could never do that," Allistor replied. "You said you would be happy if I came inside."

"I did." Then she looked around. "Where is the key?"

"Right here." Then, Allistor took his index finger and pointed it straight at her throat. The girl looked confused.

"It's a song," he explained. "The key is actually a song, the song longing for freedom. The people who put you inside this cage made sure that you would not be able to get out of here—not without the desire to leave, at least."

The girl placed a hand over her chest. "Freedom?" she whispered. "I don't understand. I only wanted you to be able to be with me. I never thought of leaving."

Allistor took her hands through the bars. "That's because you don't know what's out there yet," he said. "The places that you sing of: they're real. They're out there just waiting to be discovered if only you would have the courage to leave your cage. Haven't you ever wondered why you sing songs like the ones you have?"

"Sometimes," the girl admitted, "but I don't know where they come from. I just know the words from within my heart."

"That's because you desire these things. You want to be free. You just don't know that yet."

Even through Allistor's explanation, the girl was still hesitant, and he couldn't blame her. She had lived in solitude her entire life destined to never be seen but only by the people who shared the blood of the ones who had locked her up: Allistor's blood.

"There is a beautiful world waiting to be discovered," he continued. "It's bigger than you could have ever imagined it to be. I can't stay with you inside this cage, but if you come with me, then I will promise you that I will take you to the places that you sing of, the places you've always been wanting to see."

The girl's eyes lit up. "You really promise you'll go with me?"

"Aye," Allistor nodded. "You won't have anything to fear. As long as you're with me, I'll make sure nothing happens to you. You'll be much happier outside the cage than if you stayed here for the rest of your life. Even your songs say so."

At this, a faint hint of color began to rise to the girl's cheeks. Allistor had heard her singing of him long before he found his way to the cage. She had been eagerly awaiting his return. The sheer power of her desire carried out by her song was strong enough to lead him back to her.

"But if I leave the cage, I was told that I will die," she murmured.

Allistor shook his head. "That's only if you were on your own. I'll be here to protect you every step of the way. We'll have each other for company. Together, we'll have nothing to fear."

The girl blinked her large eyes. They were glistening with wonder at the sound of his words. Allistor hoped it would be enough to make her sing.

"Still…" she said. "I don't know if I'm ready."

Allistor squeezed her hands. "If you aren't ready now, then you'll never be," he said in a low voice. "I cannot stay here forever. I am a traveler, and like all travelers, I'm never around in one place for very long. If you wait, I will be gone."

"No," the girl whispered. "Stay here. I don't want you to leave me."

"Then come with me." But despite that, he felt her hands slip through his fingers.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I don't know if I can."

"You'll never know. You just have to try."

However, try as she did, the song would not come out, and the girl remained silent. It was different than the times she had longed to see the world beyond her cage, even more so than when she had longed for the redheaded traveler to return. This was a bigger step she would have to take, and it was the strongest lock coming in between her and the outside world.

Allistor didn't bother to find out if she would sing or not because he had already left.

_It's tough love_, he thought. _If I don't leave, then she won't know what's she's missing. She will sing, but it won't be for the mountains, or the oceans, or the stars, or the sun, or the moon._

The farther he went, the louder the song grew and the stronger it pulled him, begging him to return. The notes rang with such sorrow and beauty that it brought tears to his eyes. It broke his heart, but he knew this was for the best. If he didn't leave her, then she wouldn't continue to desire. She wouldn't continue to sing. She wouldn't continue to live.

_No_, he realized. _She's not singing for freedom—not yet._

_She's singing for _me.

* * *

**_The Vox Maiden _**_is the first story in a series of tales I have written for **Tales of Velavaren**. This is an old story, but it remains one of my favorites, as Scotland has always been my favorite character to write about. All the stories within the Velavaren alternate universe will be published here. _

_*Allistor = unnofficial name for OC Scotland._


	2. The Vox Maiden - 2

Allistor Kirkland stopped in his tracks. After several days of walking and resisting the compulsion to return to the source, the ringing in his ears had finally subsided. His ankles were no longer bound by the invisible force that continued to pull him back to that place beyond the thicket and unspeakable trees. All was silent.

It could only mean one thing: she was finally free.

* * *

When Allistor had stopped hearing her voice, the echo still rang clear in the wind. Her desire, alone, had been strong enough to attempt to lure him back to her, and if he had possessed a weak heart, it might have been so.

However, he knew that if he allowed himself to show his face to her again, she would have stopped singing. Once her heart stopped desiring and her songs ran dry, it would all be over. She would cease to exist.

As he made his way through the shadowy forest floor, Allistor cursed to himself. It had all been a faulty mistake. He should have never allowed himself to be swayed by something like her. She was never supposed to see him. If she hadn't, both of their lives would have continued to move on like the waters of time. She would have continued to sing, and Allistor would have continued to travel.

It could not be so anymore. He remembered what had happened on the day he returned to his family's manor.

_"…She will die if she leaves that cage."_

Those words still continued to haunt Allistor's memories. The moment she would desire freedom, the world would be out to get her. She was something not of this world—she _created_ it. If he could not be there for her, then she would surely perish. That was why, for her sake and for his, he would have to protect her. He would always have to be there for her.

* * *

Alone in the library of his family's manor, Arthur Kirkland stared out of the window at the grey skies overhead. The room had grown worn and stale with age as did everything else that had passed him by in his life. The books needed reprinting, and the walls needed to be changed. He had forgotten to get someone to attend to these matters after the return of his brother. He couldn't help but wonder why his brother had to be so foolish.

He clenched his fists into tight balls.

How _dare_ his brother take off like that. If he had stayed, none of this would have happened. Everything would have gone according to what was meant to be. The balance had been thrown off. Anyone could have stumbled across the forest, but of all people, it had to be his _brother_, the damned idiot.

He sighed. It was too late to do anything now. He could not interfere with what had been set in motion. He could only hope that his brother would be able to protect her like he said he would. If not, it could mean a lot more than putting his life and hers into jeopardy.

* * *

The girl had not gone anywhere as Allistor had expected. The enormous cage that had once surrounded her had been demolished as if by something extraordinarily large. Yet, he knew just as well as she did that it was the sheer power of her voice that had set her free.

The cage had no lock. It had no keyhole. It had been a prison to keep her safe from the world so that no harm and knowledge may come to her. As long as she remained unaware of her surroundings, she would continue to desire what she could not have.

Though, once she was finally free, she was as fragile as a chick barely out of its shell. She was new to the world no longer cocooned inside a safe protection within the boundaries of her nest. She was helpless, exposed, in need of protection. She could not survive alone in the world without someone to protect her.

"Come back…" she whispered, her heart feeling abnormally heavy. "Please come back…"

She longed to see the traveler. She did not even know his name because he had never told her.

A cold breeze snaked its way through the trees. The girl curled herself into a tight fetal position and rubbed her arms. This was unfamiliar. When the cage had been in tact, she had always been comfortable. She had not known fear. All her life, she had been told that as long as she stayed within the cage, she would be safe. She did not need to sleep; she did not need to eat. All she needed to do to survive—to live—was to sing.

…But how could she sing if the songs would not come to her?

* * *

Allistor had not stopped walking for as long as he could remember. He could not stop. If he did, that would mean lost time. In that time, the girl might have put herself into any amount of danger. She was powerful, yet at the same time, she was helpless. She needed him. It would take everything within his power to make sure she would be safe.

As he flung back some twigs, he cursed, wishing he had traveled in a tighter circle around her cage. Ever since he had left her, he had been hoping for the day that she might finally find it within her heart to sing of her own freedom. In that time, he could barely remember when he had stopped to take a rest or eat. One faulty move could have cost him her safety. He knew that if he trekked too close to her cage, he wouldn't have been able to resist her voice, and he would have returned to her side in an instant. That would not do. If he had stayed with her, she would have stopped singing.

_Almost there_, he thought to himself as he recognized the small brook that ran through the forest. He could make out the little signs of the tree formations and the outline of the sun overhead. Such insignificant features were enough to convince him that he was on the right path.

And, sure enough, he had found the clearing again, just like he had when he first heard her voice. The cage was no longer there. It was as though the artificial prison had not existed in the first place. True to his assumptions, the girl was right where he had left her, alone and vulnerable.

Allistor wasted no time sliding down the open glade and running to her side. The moment she heard him, the girl's head tilted up, and her eyes met with his.

"You came back…" she whispered, her voice heavy with relief.

The traveler couldn't help but smile. "Of course I did. I told you I would take you to those places."

Then, with a careful motion, he slowly bent down and offered his hand to the girl.

"Come on, let's go," he said. "There will be people looking for you now. We have to keep moving."

As he helped the girl up, she blinked as if in confusion.

"Other people?" she asked. "Why?"

"You are special," Allistor answered. "In the wrong hands, they will use you for their own personal gain. You are more powerful than you would have ever imagined, and that is why I must keep you safe."

The girl lowered her gaze to his hand and wrapped her delicate fingers around his.

"And will you be able to do that?"

The traveler responded with a soft, reassuring smile.

"Aye," he said. "I promise I will."


	3. The Vox Maiden - 3

Far away in the land of the mountains where the hardiest conifers could only grow, the king of the land felt a strange shudder pass through his body. It was unlike the chills he felt when he watched the crimson art spill from his victims' wounds, and it was different than the pleasure he felt when he heard the screams of his enemies drown out the squelching noise of his blade grinding against tender flesh and bone.

"Well, well, well," he smiled from ear to ear. "It looks like the little bird has finally left her cage."

Pleased, he began to stroke his loyal pet on its cheek, its large eyes never ceasing to search for its prey.

"Go," the king said and released his hunter into the air. "Find the Vox Maiden for me, and do _not_ come back until you have her in your talons."

* * *

"Allistor. All-is-tor. Allis-tor. A-lli-stor. Allistor."

The girl had been repeating his name over and over again like a broken record testing out the different angles of his name like a curious block of sugar on her tongue. Now, he was beginning to regret ever telling her his name from the very beginning.

"Allistor," she said again—Allistor had lost count of how many times she had said his name.

"Allistor, Allistor, Allistor."

"Do you need something?" he asked making sure she didn't stray too far from him.

"Why would I need anything?" she smiled. "I have you."

The traveler clicked his tongue. "That's not what I meant. When you say my name like that, it means you either want their attention or you want something from me."

"I want _you_," the girl replied. "Is that possible?"

Allistor mentally cursed to himself and bit his bottom lip.

_Get it together, Allistor. She's like a child: she's never been outside before—let alone ever spent this much time with anyone like me…_

"You can say that," he said. "If you want me to be there for you, just call out my name. Sing it if you have to."

"I don't have to sing if you're here."

"You might. There might be times when I will not be able to be there for you. I might have to leave you, and maybe along the way, we'll get separated. There won't be anything to fear, though. I won't be far as long as you sing for me." He paused. "Speaking of singing, why don't you sing something right now? It's going to be a long way until we get to where we're going. Might even get quiet otherwise."

The girl blinked her large, curious eyes. "What should I sing about?"

Allistor shrugged. "Something you desire, perhaps? What sort of place do you imagine we're going to see first?"

"I haven't thought too much of it…" the girl confessed. "It only comes in my songs."

"Then sing of those places. Let them come from your heart. Those songs will be the only thing that can occupy our imaginations until we get there; it will be a long way."

The girl hesitated. Allistor waited for her to catch up.

"I'm afraid if I sing, I'll lose track of you."

Touched, Allistor had to smile. He wouldn't have imagined anyone becoming attached to him, let alone someone as important as this girl. Not even his own brothers had been considerably close to him.

"If you'd like, I can hold your hand. You won't lose me this way."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Her trust completely falling into his protection, the girl finally consented to allowing him to hold her hand. As they walked, she slowly started out with a hum. In time, the hum had grown into a crescendo, and it had burst into song.

Images of the never-ending ocean with its unrelenting waters and salty spray filled Allistor's thoughts. He could almost feel the cold sand beneath his worn leather boots and hear the lapping roar of the waves splashing in from the main body of water onto the shore. It was to the point where if he listened close enough, he could have sworn he could hear the distant gulls cawing overhead mixed with the orchestral static of water.

Next came a waterfall. The song had taken him upstream to a cliff where the freshwater from the mountains snaked its way to the saltine sea. The quiet trickle of the brooks and rivers had evolved into a torrent of water shouting with its mighty force as it cascaded onto the smoothed rocks below. He could picture a waterfall unlike those he had ever seen before towering over the land as it took the water from one level to another. In the right light, with the right amount of spray kissing his heated skin, he could see a rainbow of lights melting from red to violet and back in a circle—not an arch.

Then, a large valley. Beyond the waterfall and past the rapids before it, the waters were calm. Two hillsides of lush green grass surrounded a bowl-shaped valley that made even the strongest man feel humbled by its incredible feats of nature. The music was different here. Tiny dribbles and ripples that would have been insignificant in rushing water caused large disturbances in such even levels.

When the song was done, Allistor found himself back in reality, his feet back on solid ground scattering stray moss and angering the tiny insects that went about their daily business. As the girl's song died down to a hum again, he was able to make out the hushed trickling of water. In response, he quickened his pace. He knew he had never been here, but this felt familiar like a nostalgic memory he thought he had lost from beyond the crack in his old drawer. As he pushed though the ferns, he was careful to make sure the girl was unscathed as his breath shortened. It couldn't have been too far now. He already knew what was here.

At long last, like an exhilarating breath of air, he had blown past the edge of the forest and had found himself in an open valley much like the one in the girl's songs. As expected, the air smelled faintly of green algae and the sharp, fresh scent of shed pine leaves. This, he came to realize, was the first landmark in their journey.

"We're going to the ocean," he said with a smile unlike that he had ever known. It felt natural as though he did not have to think about what he was doing. It simply was.

The girl's mouth hung open, not because of the ocean but because of what lay in front of her. It shouldn't have been a surprise to anyone that she had never actually seen something like the river or the valley before. She must have sung about it countless times, and yet, for the very first time, she was finally able to see it with her own eyes. She was finally able to feel the channeled breeze blowing through her hair and smell the minty aroma of the pine trees mixed with the salty sweet tinge of moss and algae.

"It's beautiful," she breathed.

Again, Allistor smiled. The day was almost over. It might have been a good idea to set up camp for the night seeing as how she wouldn't be seeing this place for a long time.

"We'll stop here for the night, alright?"

The girl silently nodded in response, her breath completely taken away by the unfamiliar sight that lay before her curious eyes.

"Then let's see if we can find a good place to settle," Allistor suggested. "We don't want anyone finding us when it's dark."

That being said, the two of them began to follow the river downstream in search for flat land or a suitable shelter. Before, the traveler only had to look after himself. Luxury or comfort was not an issue so as long as he was alive and well. Now, there was a girl in tow—and an important one at that. He had to make sure she was unharmed for his brother had warned him that her heart was fragile. He would take care to not break it.

Unfortunately, there was one major setback while camping far away from civilization. The girl may not have needed to eat, but Allistor did. He had been warned that if human food should pass her lips, she would develop a sense of hunger. It would be a great inconvenience to the journey.

Alas, she also could not sleep. Like any normal human being, Allistor's body needed to recharge. If he did not rest, he knew he would not have the strength to carry on throughout the day. However, he would also not be able to assure her safety unless she was as close to him as possible. It could have been awkward, to say the least.

Nevertheless, Allistor decided to tackle one problem at a time.

"Stay here," he said as they settled down underneath an arched rock. It wasn't much, but it would be safe enough from the watchful eyes of those that would be looking from the skies.

"Why?" the girl asked.

"It's more dangerous if you go with me than if you stay here. Just stay put. Hum to yourself if you're nervous."

Despite his orders, the girl started after him.

"Allistor…!"

The traveler pushed her back. He couldn't afford to be close to her. It would bring her to her ruins.

"I already told you it's safer if you don't follow me. I'll be back before you know it." He sighed. "How about this? Sing a song—a song about anything. When it's done, I'll be by your side again. I'm not leaving you, I'm just going to find food."

The girl tilted her head to the side like a bird. "Food?"

"Aye, food," Allistor repeated. "Now stay there. Everything will be fine."

"Promise?"

The traveler sighed and looked into her eyes. "Aye, I promise."

As Allistor went off to go hunting, he thought of the rules his brother had given him when coming in contact with the girl.

The first rule was that he wasn't even supposed to speak to her. That rule had been broken.

The second was that she may never eat. If she did, her body's functions would reduce to that of a human's. If she desired food, she might have sung about it. The things that needed to be kept alive would not be if that happened.

The third was that she must not be exposed to human sins and misgivings. His brother had warned her that these things would frighten her and fill her songs with unspeakable calamities—that or she may have stopped singing altogether.

The forth and foremost rule was that—

_Shhhhfff!_

Allistor stopped dead in his tracks. His ears had been trained to know well enough that whatever had made that noise was on the move, but it was also food. If he was lucky, it would even be a rabbit. This would be quicker than he thought. He wouldn't have to keep her waiting long now. All he had to do was listen.

Then, as sure as he had thought that, another noise disturbed the silence of the woods. Allistor had pinpointed the location of the animal now. His bow ready and his arrow poised, he fired a single shot straight into the brush. A short, small squeak had sounded out in the darkness. The feathered tip of the arrow quivered, its bright red colors giving away the sign of a life struggling to hold onto its last moments. By the time Allistor came over to the arrow, however, the moving had stopped, and to his delight, a small rabbit had lay motionless and dead at his feet.

* * *

"Allistor," the girl whispered. "Allistor, Allistor, Allistor."

She rocked herself back and forth as she whispered his name. She thought of singing a song about him, but the words wouldn't come to her quite yet.

Irked, she thought of singing of something else to occupy her until he returned. He had said he wouldn't be gone for long. He may have already been back if she had finished her song. What bothered her was that she _couldn't_ think of anything to sing about. The songs were not coming to her at this particular time. All she could think about was whether or not Allistor would be returning now or later.

"Food…" she murmured. "What is food? Allistor, what is food?"

As if in response, she suddenly heard something rustle in the brush. She was not startled, just curious. When she recognized the head of bright red hair, her heart began to flutter, and she ran to greet her companion with open arms.

"Ah! Hey!" he cried out holding up a moist red mass of unspeakable contents. "Don't touch me right now; you'll get dirty."

"Allistor, what is food?" she asked.

The traveler lifted one side of his lips in a smirk. "It's this," he said holding out the red mass to her. "It's not something that you can have, though. You don't need it."

"Why do _you_ need it?"

"To keep me going," he merely replied. "I'm going to get this ready so just stay put."

"A-Ah…Allistor…" she stuttered.

"Something the matter?"

"I…I missed you."

This made Allistor laugh. "But I've been only gone for a few minutes. How is that enough time for you to miss me?"

The girl didn't understand what he meant. She had truly missed him. She had wanted him to return to her side. Was that not reason enough to miss someone? Suddenly, she could feel her breath growing hot and her body began to tingle. This must have been what it was like to interact with another person. It was a strange feeling, indeed.

As she pondered her troubled emotions, Allistor had begun to build a little stake with a stick sharpened at one end. Before he had left, he had already gathered a bundle of dried brush and wood together and had assembled it at the base of their camp.

"Allistor what are you doing?" she asked.

"Building a fire," he answered. "It's something that can be both used as a tool and a weapon. When you see it, do not touch it. It will hurt you."

"Hurt?"

She noticed Allistor flinched. "That's right," he said. "You've been inside that cage for so long that you have not been exposed to pain and suffering. I hope those things never come to you."

"So…" the girl thought about it. "It's a bad thing?"

"Aye, it is."

"Then why are you making a fire?"

Allistor chuckled. "Like I said: it's both a weapon _and_ a tool. I can turn it into something useful. Watch."

He then took out what appeared to be a small box from his sack and opened it. Inside was a pair of small rocks accompanied by a handful of thin, dried twigs. The girl watched with her undivided attention as he took out the two rocks and began to rub them together against the dried brush and wood. In a matter of seconds, a few tiny sparks flew off from the rocks and struck the wood. A thin trail of smoke appeared and soon, a small flicker of orange light grew into a dancing ray of yellows and reds mixed with blues.

"It's so pretty," she breathed and found her hand unconsciously moving towards the light.

"Ah! Bad idea!" Allistor snapped and pulled her hand back. "I already told you it will hurt you if you touch it."

The girl looked up at him. "How can something so beautiful be so harmful?"

"Some things just are," the traveler replied. Then, he lowered the pointed stick that he had thrust the red mass onto and put it above the fire. It took some time, but the longer the stick remained over the fire, the more a strange smell began to waft into the girls nose. It made her mouth water. At first she thought she was sick, but this was different. It was almost as though it was a fulfilling desire. Suddenly, she wanted something, though she didn't know what.

At long last, Allistor removed the stick from the flame and placed it by his side. There was steam coming from the mass, only it wasn't red anymore. Rather, it was brown.

"Allistor, what is that?" she asked. "Ah! Is it food?"

"Aye, but it's not for you. I already told you that."

"I want some."

"No."

The girl was taken aback. "Why not?"

"Because it will…" The traveler stopped as if to think of putting his explanation in the right words. "It's because in your case, you'll become ill."

"Ill?" she echoed.

"Aye, ill."

Defeated, the girl let out a sigh and brought her legs to her chest while Allistor began to take strips of the food and put them in his mouth. She wanted to try it, too, but the thought of becoming "ill" as he had said worried her. She did not want to feel ill. It didn't sound like a good thing.

* * *

When Allistor had finished eating, he had taken the girl to survey the area in case there were any dangerous threats nearby. She had refused to leave his side this time as it had grown dark, and he had come to realize that without the light, he would be at a disadvantage to protect her.

"Allistor, what are those things in the sky?" she asked as they made their return to the campsite.

"What things?" he asked. "The fluffy dark shapes or the lights?"

"Both?"

He chuckled. How very like her to be curious of everything. He stopped and directed her hands towards the heavens.

"The dark shapes are clouds," he said. "They look dark right now, but in the daytime, they look white. They are lighter than air, but on certain occasions, they'll become heavy with water and dump it down. That's what's called rain."

"Clouds. Rain." The girl repeated these two words, testing them in her mouth as she had done with his name.

"Now the lights are stars."

"Stars."

Allistor nodded. "They are too far away for us to grab, but each one of them is a ball of light hotter than the hottest fire. In the daytime, they are too dim to see, but when the sun disappears, that's when they come out. You can even make shapes with them. Some of them will even help us get to where we're going because they never move."

Now the girl looked confused. "They can move?"

"Eh…" He ran his hand through his red hair. She wouldn't be able to understand what he was talking about if he told her that _they_ were the ones moving. At least he was finally able to put his studying back at home into some use.

"You don't have to think about that stuff," he said. "It's not important. We should focus on getting some rest."

"Rest?"

Allistor stopped to look at the girl. Like the time he first met her, her eyes were brimming with energy and curiosity. He might have even said that she looked even _more_alert than their first encounter.

"I take it you're not tired?" he asked.

The girl looked down at her feet and examined her arms as if wondering if something was wrong with her. Apparently being "tired" was out of her context.

"You're not," he sighed. "But I am."

"Are you ill?"

This made Allistor laugh. "No, I'm not ill. It's just something that happens to people like me. All I need to do is close my eyes for a while and I'll be fine."

"What about me?"

"You're special. You don't need to do those things."

"Is there anyone else like me?"

"No."

"So I'm not like you?"

Allistor pursed his lips. It was hard trying to explain everything to her right away. Her mind was still young, and it was better if it remained that way.

"You're not, but that doesn't mean it's bad."

"In what way?"

It was hard trying to answer all of her questions. Allistor was reminded of when his first little brother had begun talking. He had asked so many questions that he had become mentally exhausted. His other brothers had not been too far off. But, like what he had asked his brothers in response, he came back with the same question.

"Don't you think you're asking too many questions?"

The girl clamped her mouth shut. Allistor was unsure of whether or not he had hurt her feelings, but she remained in an uneasy silence until they got to the camp.

When they settled down, he stamped out the fire and brought out a large but thin piece of cloth. He had explained to the girl that it could get cold at night, and it would get worse when the seasons turned into late fall.

"What am I supposed to do while you sleep?" she asked.

"What you always do: sing."

"What should I sing of?"

Allistor pondered this.

"How about the stars?" he suggested. "It'll be something to occupy yourself with since it's going to be a while."

The girl absentmindedly stroked his red hair. Since she was unable to sleep, he had to make sure she wouldn't wander off. As a precaution, he had to hold onto her as he slept. It was…awkward to say the least, but he assumed she was innocent enough to not understand anything beyond keeping her safe.

"Allistor, when will you open your eyes again?"

"When the sun comes up," he answered in a sleepy voice. It had been a long day, and he needed his rest. Even though she hadn't begun to sing, his eyes were already closed.

"What does the sun look like?"

_That's right_, he remembered. _She hasn't seen the sun because of the trees and mountains._

"It's a brilliant ball of light," he said. "You can say it's like the star that is closest to us."

The girl exhaled and pulled herself closer to his chest.

"I want to see it now," she whispered.

"Then sing of it," he murmured, his conscious barely holding up. "When your song finishes, you'll see it come up into the sky."

"Will it?"

"Aye. I'm going to sleep now. Good night."

"Good night?"

"It's something you say when you retire for the night."

"…Good night, Allistor."

Of course, he hadn't actually gone to sleep. He had to make sure she would start up a song to ensure they hadn't been lost. It took a while; however, when his breathing had finally eased up and the crickets began to chirp, the girl began to hum. To match the volume of the quiet night, she began to softly sing to herself, and images of the star-filled skies poured into Allistor's mind.

As he slowly drifted off to sleep, he began to remind himself of the rules his brother had told him.

The first rule was that he wasn't even supposed to speak to her. That rule had already been obviously broken.

The second was that she may never eat. If she did, her body's functions would reduce to that of a human's.

The third was that she must not be exposed to human sins and misgivings. He had been warned that these things would frighten her and fill her songs with unspeakable calamities—that or she may have stopped singing altogether.

The fourth and foremost rule was that under no circumstances, no matter how small or large that feeling came to be, was that as with her to him, he must never allow himself to fall in love her.


	4. The Vox Maiden - 4

Something heavy was pressing down on Allistor's chest so much so that he was finding it difficult to breathe. It was as though he was being crushed between two stones, his back against the ground and his chest against—

"Allistor, open your eyes!" a shrill voice called.

He immediately responded, throwing his eyes open and seizing his bow from behind him.

"There's a big light in the sky, Allistor!"

"Ah?"

Allistor blinked a few times. His eyes had not gotten used to the morning light yet. True to what he was told, the sun was peeking out from beneath the valley, and the girl was still clinging onto him like a faithful child.

"Is that it?" she asked excitedly pointing at the horizon. "Is that the sun? Is it a real star?"

"Aye…" Allistor yawned. "Don't look at it for too long, though. It'll make your eyes go bad."

The girl sighed and rested her chin on his shoulder. "Why does everything so beautiful have to be either harmful or unattainable?"

"Not everything is like that." He took a moment to stretch. "Do you think you could get off? I need some room."

Upon saying that, the girl hopped off his body and waited for him to finish stretching. Allistor could catch her trying to copy him from time to time, though she was doing it more out of amusement than for actual stretching.

"How was your rest?" she suddenly asked.

"Good," Allistor replied, and he meant it. Even with the girl lying on top of him the entire night, it was the first time he had slept soundly in days. Maybe it was also due in part to because he hadn't slept much if at all since he had left her alone in the cage.

"That's good," the girl smiled. "So we are going to the ocean now?"

"Aye."

"What _is_ the ocean?"

"It's a body of water," Allistor said. "It's really big."

The girl began to trail after him down the river. She occasionally ran into the shallow waters, but Allistor had to be reminded that she probably didn't know how to swim. He would have to keep a close eye on her.

"How big is it?" she asked as she kicked around some smoothed pebbles.

"Bigger than all the water in this river," he answered.

"Is that possible?"

The traveler smiled. "You sang about it so it must be true."

"Oh…"

"Careful now. If you go too far into the water, it could take you away."

This made the girl hop back to his side far away from the lapping riverbed.

"How?" she asked.

"It's deep," he explained. "There is a lot of water that you can't see—so much so that you may not even be able to see the bottom. I know you can't swim so there's a high possibility that you will drown."

"Drown?" the girl echoed.

"It's not a good thing," Allistor said trying to carefully word the meaning. "It means to disappear into the water and never return. You don't want that, do you?"

The girl shook her head.

"That's what I thought. Now stay close to me."

For the next few hours, the journey mainly consisted of walking and questions being answered and asked. Allistor did most of the answering and watching while the girl with her never-ending curiosity continued to ask question after question.

"Allistor, what was your family like?"

"Boring," he said. "That's why I left."

"Do you miss them?"

"Not really."

"So you don't like them?"

Allistor rubbed his forehead. "It's not so much that I don't like them, but I just wasn't close to them."

"What about me?"

He laughed. "I don't know how to answer that quite yet. I haven't known you for very long."

Then, he felt the girl wrap her arm around his and press herself close to him.

"You can know about me right now," she said.

Allistor raised an eyebrow. "What would I need to know about?"

"I don't know," the girl admitted. "Maybe it will be better if you know about me. Then you will like me."

"What makes you think I don't already like you?"

"I…" The girl bit her lower lip. "I don't know. I'm just afraid that you won't."

Allistor sighed. "Are you just saying that so I won't leave you?"

This time, she didn't answer back right away.

"Hey…" He patted her head. "Is something wrong?"

The girl blinked. "I don't know how to answer," she murmured. "It's yes and no."

"How is it yes, then?" Allistor first decided to ask. He felt her grip tightening on his arm.

"It's because I want to be able to see you," she spoke in a soft voice. "I just want to be with you."

"Hmm. Then, how is it no?"

The girl shook her head. "I don't know. It's like that's not the full reason, but I can't explain it."

"Save yourself the trouble. You don't need to explain it. I'm fine with not knowing."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Oh."

Then, for the next few minutes, there was nothing but silence. Allistor was lost in thought, pondering the different meanings behind her reasoning.

_It couldn't be that_, he thought. _It's too early for her to start feeling that way about me._ He shook his head. _Why am I thinking about that stuff anyway? It's not like I_love_her._

"Allistor, why was I put into that cage?"

The traveler pressed his lips together and looked off into the distance. She wouldn't understand even if he put it into simple words for her.

"You wouldn't understand," he said.

"Then why was I brought out?"

"You wouldn't understand," he said again.

"Allistor…"

"It won't make sense to you. It's better if you didn't know."

"Why?"

"I have an idea: why don't you sing a song? You haven't done that all day today."

The girl shrugged. "I don't feel like singing."

"You should try," Allistor urged her. "It's too dull if we just ask each other things."

"But I don't know what to sing about."

"Huh." The traveller looked up at the sky. "How about the sun?"

"The sun?"

"You think it's fascinating, don't you? Today was the first day you noticed it."

"That's true…"

"If you sing, I'll listen."

The girl smiled. "I'd like that."

To make sure she wouldn't lose her way, Allistor held onto her hand as she hummed. The rhythm of their footsteps against gravel was like a beat for her song, not too fast, not to slow. Just right.

As the words poured from her lips, Allistor began to wonder. How could she know of these things? She had not known what the difference between spring and winter was. Never before had she felt the warmth of the sun's rays against her skin until today when she had seen it rise from the east. It was beyond believable and yet she continued to sing.

When the song had finished, she began another one, this time it was about the fire Allistor had set up from last night. Her lyrics were curious, the rhythm slightly faster than the previous song. Sometimes, she changed tempos in between verses to match the unpredictable power of the manmade light. There were times when Allistor could sense his pace changing from fast to slow as she continued on, and she was more than happy to follow him however quick or steady he walked.

At long last, the tempo died down to a slow melody as she sang about the cold touch of the rivers against her feet. It came to a point where Allistor had to look down and check to see if he had strayed too close to the water's edge. Her songs had the power to make him experience things that weren't exactly there.

"Those were nice songs," he said when she had finished.

"I'm glad you thought so," the girl smiled. "No one has ever listened to them before."

"And no one should…" he whispered.

"What?"

"Nothing," he quickly said. "Let's just keep moving."

"Allistor…will we be seeing anyone else until we get there?"

"I'd hope not."

"Why?"

"There are people looking for you."

"Really? How come?"

"You're special. You could say that's why you were put into that cage."

"Special…" the girl repeated. "Does that mean I'm…different?"

"In a way."

"Different from you?"

Allistor chuckled. "Everyone's different from everyone," he said. "We're all special."

"Then there's someone looking for you as well?"

"I can't think of why anyone would."

"So why me?"

"Aren't you asking too many questions again?"

The girl flinched. "I was just wondering about who I was…"

Allistor scowled and looked away. He hated being put in situations like this. It reminded him of when he was the oldest of his brothers. He hated taking responsibility and having to be a role model, but if there was one thing he absolutely could not stand was that in the time he had become a brother, he had also grown soft. It was starting to take its toll on his inclinations now.

"Alright, you want to know who you are?"

"Yes," the girl answered without a moment of hesitation.

"Where to begin…?" He was recollecting the information that his brother had told him about before he set off again. Like Arthur to him, he would start out easy, one step at a time.

"Now before I begin, you must promise that you will not interrupt me," he said. "I'll let you ask questions, but only when I let you, is that clear?"

"Yes," the girl nodded clamping her mouth shut.

"Alright then," he sighed. "Well, for starters, you, my special little lass, are something that we call the Vox Maiden."


	5. The Vox Maiden - 5

"Vox Maiden," the girl repeated with a mild distaste to the sound of her title. "What _am_ I?"

"It's not so much _what_," Allistor said. "Rather, it's _who_."

The girl did not look like she had the slightest clue what he meant.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you about this," the traveler sighed. "You wouldn't understand, and it won't do you any good to know."

"Why not?" the girl asked.

Allistor held up a hand. "What did I say about asking questions?"

Once again, the girl remained silent.

"My youngest brother was the one who actually told me about you," he continued. "When I first met you, I wanted to find the key to your cage. While I was away from you, I had asked around about whether or not anyone knew about a big cage holding a girl inside." He chuckled. "Some people thought I was crazy for thinking like that, and I can't blame them. It turns out only a select few are able to hear your songs let alone know who you are. You see, to others, your songs fall on deaf ears—

"Hey! Now before you ask," he quickly snapped as he saw the girls mouth open, "the reason I'm able to hear your voice is because I'm part of the bloodline of the family that keeps you guarded. It turns out my family is like your royal keepers." He furrowed his eyebrows. "I was supposed to be next in line until I left. My youngest brother—his name is Arthur—said that the others weren't fit to take up the job. Neither was he.

"So, the rascal became bookkeeper. It's a hell of a boring job. All he does is read about the patterns in your songs and your existence. As interesting as it sounds, you weren't born like normal people; you just came to be. My family's been keeping you in the cage ever since—to keep you safe from the world.

"The Vox Maiden has the power to keep the world alive. If she stops singing for an extended period of time, the heart of the world will stop beating, and everything that she has ever sung about or wished for will crumble to ruin.

"You have sung about the sun, the stars, the oceans and rivers…and of me… If you stop singing, everything you have sung about will disappear."

This made the girl flinch and her eyes widen.

"It's harder this way," Allistor sighed. "There's also the fact that whatever you sing about will also be able to come into existence." He spread his arm over the river. "Who knows? This river may not have been here until you made that song about it. Perhaps during the night, there weren't so many stars as there are now. It could be that you brought them here."

"And what about you?" the girl asked ignoring Allistor's previous mentioning of interrupting him.

"I merely am," he said. "The thing is, we don't know what will happen. You have been locked inside that cage for as long as you could remember. You have never been this close to a human being before so you couldn't have sung about him or her. But then again…that might be one of the reasons you were kept a secret."

The girl remained listening.

"If you are found and used in the wrong ways, whoever uses you can have the power to rule the world—perhaps even the entire universe. That is why you are dangerous. You must never stray from the right path."

It was then that Allistor noticed the girl was about to explode from wanting to ask questions.

"You may ask questions now," he said.

"…If I am so dangerous, why is it that you took me out?" she first asked.

"Because as predicted, you began to sing about me. Whatever you desire, you sing about. If I wasn't here for you, you would continue to sing about me. You would forget to sing about everything else you'd need to keep alive. Since you have been in the presence of another human being—that being me—you will have perished if you stayed in the cage. Now, you require human company. That is why you can't help but miss me when I leave."

The girl clenched her fist around Allistor's tunic. "These people who are looking for me…are they all bad?"

Allistor paused. His brother had not been specific, but he was instructed to never allow the Vox Maiden to fall into the ownership of another human being. The world was their enemy.

"Yes," he said. "There will be people who will want to hurt you. They might even want to hurt me to get to you. Whatever happens, they will not stop until they have you."

"They will never stop?"

"Never."

"Then why do we continue?"

"Because that is your wish. You at least deserve to see that places you have sung about, correct?"

"B-But, if you are hurt…"

Allistor smiled. "Don't worry about me. My only job is to keep you safe. As for the world…that remains up to you. So now you know."

The girl looked up at the sky, her eyes filled with a different light. With him being taller than her, Allistor could see the concern on her face.

"How big is the world?" she asked.

"Bigger than the ocean. It's so big that you would never be able to see its end. It has none."

Then, she placed her hand on her throat. "And I keep something that big alive?"

"Yes. It's a big responsibility, yet if you do things the right way, it's not as hard as you'd think."

"Allistor…"

"Yes?"

"I'm scared…"

"Ah, hell…" He placed his hand on her shoulder and pulled her close to him. "It's alright. You won't have to worry about anything. I'll make sure you're safe."

"Promise…?" she whispered.

"…I promise," he replied, though this time, he could not be sure that he could live up to such a responsibility.

* * *

At the ocean's edge in the white castle with towering spires, the royal seer had received a vision. There had been a cage and a songbird. For the longest time, the bird had remained tethered by the steel bars until another wild bird with brilliant red feathers had come to the cage. This red bird had undone the lock on the cage, and just like that, the songbird was free. However, the songbird's freedom would not last. A great eagle had come and stole the songbird away. Under captivity again, the broken-hearted prisoner had perished—and the world with it.

The seer had to hurry. This had to be the vision they had been waiting for. They would have to act quickly. Who knew what calamity might fall upon the songbird and her escort?

"This isn't good…" he mumbled to himself as he traveled briskly between the columns to the main hall. He would have to tell the king to hurry and send people to retrieve her. The Eagles may have already acted.

"Sir, I have a report!" he called out from across the hall as he slipped past the guards.

Unfortunately, the king was not present. The seer cursed himself for thinking he could have been actually attending to his duties. If he wasn't on his throne, then he had to be in the back courtyard. So, without another moment to lose, he went on his way.

As expected, the king had taken off his heavy cape and had set aside his crown. He was busy commencing in swordplay among some of the lesser knights, a practice that his subjects admired.

"You're getting blunt!" the king laughed. "How do you expect to defend yourself against the enemy if you can't even swing a sword faster than me?"

The royal seer rolled his eyes. _You arrogant fool. No one can swing a sword faster than you, and you know that._

"Sir, I have something to report," he announced to his ruler and close friend.

Immediately after saying that, the king backed away from his opponent's swing and held up his hand.

"Hold," he said. "The seer has something to say?"

The seer nodded. "I prefer this be talked about in private, sir."

The king's smile faded. Whatever news couldn't be announced in front of his subjects was nothing short of a serious matter.

"I'll meet you in your chambers then," he responded.

~~~~~

When all was said and done, the king had arrived at his loyal friend's chambers. No one other than himself had ever been allowed to pass into his private quarters. There, they were always able to talk in private regardless of the subject.

"I've noticed you've moved from 'Mathias' to 'sir,'" he smiled. "Are you ever going to call me 'Your Highness,' Lukas?"

The seer removed his hood and brushed back some of his loose bangs. "When I believe you are worthy of truly being called my king, then I will address you as such, Mathias," he answered in a cold, distant voice.

The king laughed. "I don't know whether to be upset or touched. It's only harder for you because you've been my friend for as long as I can remember, but at the same time, I _am_ the king."

"That makes no difference to me," Lukas snorted. "Now do you want to hear what I have to say or not? It's rather urgent."

"Have at it."

Lukas blinked. "The Vox Maiden is loose."

This was a rare moment. In all of his life, the seer rarely saw his friend at a loss for words. He always had something to say, something to lighten up the mood. All the same, it was hard to find a reason to be happy that the Vox Maiden had left her cage.

"What should we do?" the seer asked hoping to break his king's awkward silence.

"We…" The king furrowed his eyebrows. "How long has it been?"

"I just received the vision only a few minutes ago, but I fear if we do not act quickly, the Eagles will get to her."

"Ah, those blasted Eagles…" Mathias murmured. "So we can safely assume they are after her as well?"

"It's worse than that," Lukas replied. "I fear that they have already acted."

The king clicked his tongue. He was irritated. As aloof and carefree as he was, he knew the crucial role the Vox Maiden played. Having his enemy capture her and use her for their own purposes was not going to end well.

"Do you know where they are?" he asked.

"They are actually headed here. I believe they are coming to the ocean."

"To us, huh? Then I'm assuming she's travelling downstream?"

The seer nearly made an amused expression. "You're not as stupid as I sometimes imagine you to be."

"I'm guessing that's a 'yes,' then," the king smiled. "I shall send some of our people upstream. They are faster than the Eagles. We might be able to get to her before they do."

But before he could leave and give his subjects his orders, the seer stopped him.

"You forgot one important thing," he said.

The king stopped in his tracks and looked over his shoulder.

"And what would that be?"

The seer narrowed his dark eyes. "I said 'they,' not 'she.' There is another person travelling with her."

This made the king arch his eyebrows. "Really? Someone who doesn't belong to royalty? Who?"

This time, a once-in-a-moon expression appeared on the cold, stoic seer's lips. He was smiling.

"Would you believe it?" he chuckled. "It's a Fowl."

* * *

_Since the Vox Maiden's character has been made clear, I can now say that the Vox Maiden, herself, is not an actual character, canon or OC, in the series, but a being all on her own. She does not have a name, nor is she ever given one or perceived with any physical descriptions. I created her as a challenge to boost a story without mentioned a key character's name, and while the story is centered around her, she's always perceived through the view points of other characters. _


	6. The Vox Maiden - 6

The king's hunter had an advantage at such a great height with his superior eyesight. From above, the sun was on his back, and he was virtually invisible save for being a small speck in the sky against the glaring rays. On silent wings, he soared through the air endlessly without pause. Whatever his master wanted, his master would get. As long as he ruled the skies, he had nothing to fear.

* * *

The songs that came from the Vox Maiden's lungs never ceased to fascinate Allistor. If he requested a song, she would never disappoint. There were even places she sung about where Allistor, himself had never visited before, yet when he heard her voice, he couldn't help but feel as though he had known of those places all along. She was truly remarkable.

By now, the pair had traversed through a great length of the river. Much to his surprise and convenience, the girl never tired, and her songs had filled him with enough vigor to last through the entire day without rest. As they trekked down the river, the traveler felt familiar with the path—even if the route was as simple as following the river. Every dip in the valley, every twist, and every turn was something he felt he could relate to. It was hard to believe that all of these familiarities were the result of being able to hear the Vox Maiden sing.

"Allistor, do you hear that?" the girl suddenly said.

"Hear what?" he asked.

The girl paused. Her eyes had grown into large orbs, and she was bending her legs towards the ground like a young cat ready to pounce on its prey. Allistor, too, remained quiet so that he may be able to catch the sound she was hearing.

"Listen," she whispered. "There it is again."

Allistor frowned. "I don't hear anything unusual. All I hear is the water…"

The water. That was what she was hearing, he realized. He had been so accustomed to the sound that he had forgotten that the water flowed in different speeds.

"It sounds like it's getting faster," he murmured. Then, he lifted the girl up to her feet and took her wrist in his hand.

"Come on," he urged. "I think I know what it is."

* * *

The girl had never seen so much water colliding against each other and pounding against the rocks. After seeing the river for so long, she would have never imagined that the sheer speed and power of the rapids would churn air and water together to create a foamy white explosion.

"This is really water?" she breathed, her eyes widening in awe.

Her companion smiled, his hand still clinging onto her wrist. "Aye, this is water," he said. "It's different than the one from the river, isn't it?"

"Uh-huh," the girl slowly nodded. She felt Allistor's grip tighten.

"It's dangerous, though. This water is different. It's so strong that it might batter your body against any hidden rocks. You will be swept away just like the river waters, only, I may never be able to find you."

"So this water is dangerous as well…" the girl sighed, her eyes losing their once-excited light.

"It's not all that bad," her escort responded. "In its own way, it's pretty amazing, right?"

"Yes…" she agreed. As she looked up, Allistor pointed in the direction of the continuing river.

"There's a dip in the valley over there," he said. "I have a feeling that if we keep going this way, we'll be able to see the second landmark from your song."

"You think so?"

"I _know_ so."

The girl smiled. "Then what are we waiting for?" she beamed. "Let's go!"

This time around, the journey was not as easy as treading along the riverbed's flat surface. Due to the change in the water's speed and ferocity, the levels on the ground changed, too. Gone were the pine-needle beds and pebbled shores with still water. In their place were miniature mountains of rocks after rocks. Some of the spray from the rapids had splashed onto the stones at just the right amounts so that algae and moss grew on the edges.

"Careful," Allistor said. "It's slippery. If you don't watch where you step, you could fall."

"You'll catch me, though, won't you?" the girl asked.

"I…" The traveller blinked. How interesting of her to put her trust into him like that. It must have just been her innocent way of thinking.

"Aye, I'll catch you," he sighed.

Luckily, he didn't have to. As carefree and naïve as the Vox Maiden was, she was no amateur when it came to scaling the rocks down the rapids. If anything, she might have even been better than Allistor at it. If anyone had asked, he would have distastefully replied that he was only clumsier because of the large weight he had to carry on his back.

"Allistor!" he heard the girl calling to him from below. When he looked past the showering white waters, he could see that she had already reached the bottom. Beyond that point, there was a deep cliff.

By the time Allistor reached her, his red bangs were soaking wet and clung to his drenched skin. Any dust that he had kicked up during his journey on his matted clothes had now turned into a light mud. He cursed to himself. He would need to bathe.

Then, he looked at the girl. Though her plain dress was slightly blotched, her figure was far from soiled. It was hard to believe that someone who had stayed in a cage her whole life was able to adapt to the elements so well.

"You're brown," she giggled.

Allistor grimaced and looked at himself. He was filthy.

"I know," he grumbled. "Let's see if we can find that waterfall."

The girl leaned her head to one side. "What _is_ a waterfall, if I may ask?"

"It's what it is: a waterfall. It's like a lot of water falling over a high place, basically."

"Is it dangerous, too?"

"It can be."

"Ah…"

Allistor chuckled. "Everything can be dangerous. Even the leaves you step on can be dangerous in the right situation. That doesn't mean everything always will be."

The girl sadly placed her hand against her throat.

"I can understand that," she whispered, her voice barely audible against the hissing impacts of the rapids in the background.

"…Ah, come on. Let's get going. We should probably get you cleaned up, too." Allistor then, took her hand once again and led her down the cliff away from the sharp drop of the river. "You're not as dirty as I am, but you still need to be clean. It's not convenient having dirt and twigs all over your body."

"Is it that bad?" the girl innocently asked.

"No, but it might attract bugs. You don't want bugs living in your hair, do you?"

"I've never given it too much thought."

"Typical," Allistor laughed.

From there, their journey took them to the foot of the waterfall in the girl's song. Allistor could recognize the crooked pine tree that had snaked its way along the edge of the falls like an interrupting barrier. From below, there was a large but shallow pool that was perfect for taking a dip in. Now the only trouble would be getting the girl to bathe on her own.

"I-It's not that I don't want to be with you," he stuttered trying not to look at the girl's developed chest showing through her wet dress, "but it's not right for me to be in the water with you while you do this."

The Vox Maiden had a confused look. "Why not?"

"Because…!" Allistor cursed and stamped his foot down on a rock. "You wouldn't understand. It's just something that I can't do. It's not right."

Still, the Vox Maiden remained as clueless and as innocent as ever.

Allistor pointed to a patch of rocks not even a stone's throw away. It wasn't so close that he might have seen anything, but it wasn't so far that he wouldn't be able to come to her if something wrong happened.

"Look, I'll be _right_ there," he snarled, surprised at how aggressive his own voice sounded. "I'm not leaving you. Just put yourself inside the water, wait for a few seconds, and come out. Do not put yourself any further than your mouth, understood?"

The girl looked fearfully at the pool. "I don't think I can do it…" she meekly replied.

"Damn…!" Allistor took a deep breath. "Alright. Do you _really_ want me to go in with you?"

The girl nodded.

Allistor's eye twitched. "Are you _absolutely_ sure?"

Again, the girl nodded.

Allistor rolled his eyes. "The things I do for the world…"

* * *

"Stay…still! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

"It's cold!" the girl cried.

Allistor could barely breathe yet his entire torso was still above the water. The Vox Maiden was gripping onto his waist so tightly that he was afraid she might have popped him like a rubber ball.

"I can't clean myself if you're going to keep holding onto me like this!" he snapped, trying his best to pry her off as gently as possible. It was no use. The only way he could get her off was with brute force, and there was no way he was going to resort to that. It wasn't helping that he could feel her chest pressing against his skin. Thank goodness she didn't understand why his face was red.

"What if I drown?" she whined.

"You won't! I'm _standing_, and the water's only going up to my waist! You'll be fine!"

"Allistor, hold me!"

_Just like my brothers!_

"If I hold you, will you let me go?" he asked, lowering his voice.

"…Yes."

Allistor let out a strained breath of air. He didn't want to do this. He knew the risk of there being any further emotional attachment to him beyond companionship was slim, but that was not in his place to judge. He was not the Vox Maiden. He was only her protector—and an ordinary one at that.

"Fine," he groaned. "I'll do it." He shut his eyes as he wrapped his arms around the girl's waist and placed her in the water just enough for her to soak her body. She was stunningly light even for someone in the water, and although she had claimed that the water was cold, beneath her skin, he could feel the warmth pulsating through her blood vessels.

"Is this better?" he asked, his eyes still shut.

"Yes," the girl laughed. "This is good."

"Fine. Now remember what I told you: try to see if you can wash your hair off so that you won't—_Gah!_"

Contradictory to the girl's previous claims to let him go, Allistor felt a pair of thin arms squeeze his neck. There was a faint scent of linen and pine needles nearby, and a soft warmth flooded his body.

"Hey…" he started. "You're not following what you said…"

"I never said I would promise," he heard the Vox Maiden's voice giggle like the sound of tinkling wind chimes. "Besides, you're warm."

Allistor sighed. "The things I do…"

"Allistor…?"

"What now?"

"Even after we go to the ocean, will you still stay with me?"

"…Of course. So as long as it keeps you and the world alive, I'll always be by your side."

"But what if it didn't matter?"

Now, he was confused. "What?"

"What if you didn't need to stay with me to keep me and the world alive?"

Allistor's stomach churned.

"Would you still do it?" she asked. "Would you still stay with me?"

He couldn't take it anymore. This wasn't something he could answer by shutting his eyes, bathing or not.

"I have to be honest with you," he said in a low voice. "Had I not heard you singing when I was traveling, I don't think I would have missed you."

The girl's eyes widened with a stunned look.

Allistor pursed his lips. "If I didn't have to worry about you, my journey would have been a lot more quieter, and I'm the type of person who prefers the peaceful solitude of my own company."

"Allistor…" The girl's voice trembled.

It disgusted him. He didn't want to say it like this, but it had to be done. He couldn't afford to let her develop a romantic attachment to him. If that happened, it would no doubt be the end of the world as anyone knew it. He could not let her get close to him.

"Look, I'm sorry I have to say this, but the truth is, I— "

_Fffffwwap!_

Something hard struck Allistor straight on his head like the end of a sharpened rock. The blow was so strong it knocked him all the way to the bottom of the pool forcing him to release the Vox Maiden. This had all happened in a matter of seconds. In those few seconds, not only had he released the girl that he was supposed to protect…but her lost her as well.

When Allistor regained his sense and burst out of the pool, he heard a scream.

"Oh no…" he breathed.

"Allistor! Help me!"

He couldn't believe it. He had heard of the stories close to the mountains where few trees grew, but he would have never believed the stories until he was seeing one of those forsaken creatures with his very own eyes.

"An Eagle…" he gasped.

Being fragile wasn't an option. If the Vox Maiden was partially injured while coming back down to earth, it was trivial compared to what might happen if the King of Eagles got ahold of her.

Without a moment to lose, he reached for his bow and arrows and aimed for the Eagle's vital point—every vital point of every monstrosity that served the royal families—its heart.

Allistor's mind had gone blank when he had fired the shot. He hadn't been thinking of anything. Not of the Vox Maiden. Not of the Eagle. It was as though time had slowed down. He could see the arrow sailing through the air in a spiral straight towards his target. As the Eagle took off with the Vox Maiden in its great talons, he could see the perfectly straight line of his trajectory shooting straight into the Eagle's body. It was only a matter of time before steel and wood contacted feather and flesh.

However, before it could be done, something large and white shot across the sky and tackled the great Eagle to the ground. The arrow missed and continued to fly off into the forest.

Another white object flew into the air exploding in a brilliant array of great white feathers. Beyond its great wingspan, it possessed a long neck and a grand, bold crest. The Swans were here, too.

_No!_ Allistor shouted in his head. No matter who prevailed, the Eagles and Swans were brutal enemies. They would fight to the death. If the Swans won, the Vox Maiden would no doubt be severely injured. If the Eagle won, however, that would mean it might get away and retreat into the mountains.

_It doesn't matter!_ he decided. _The world is our enemy. Eagles or Swans, it doesn't matter!_

He hastily positioned his next arrow at the Eagle once again. By now, the great birds had erupted into an all-out fury. The Swans were great in number, but the Eagle had power. It was now a battle between tactics and strength.

With the addition of another group of opponents, getting a direct aim at the Eagle was harder than it looked. Allistor had hoped that if he could kill the Eagle, the Swans would subside, and the Vox Maiden could be retrieved from there. However, he couldn't afford to risk shooting her. The battle was much too intense: twists, turns, and dives bombarded the once peaceful waterfall scenery.

The suspense was killing him. He wanted to act. He had _promised_ to act, but all the same, he could not afford to put the Vox Maiden's life into jeopardy. He was powerless. This was a battle between the Eagle and the Swans.

"Allistor!"

He could hear the girl's screams over the calls of the Swans and the screeching of the Eagles. It was too much to bear. He couldn't just stand there and do nothing. She had trusted him. What would happen to her if he had let her down? What if she stopped singing?

In an impulsive move, he started towards the Eagle. Long-distance combat was out of the question. It didn't matter if he would come out of the fight with a torn limb or two. What mattered was keeping the Vox Maiden safe.

"Get the hell away from her, you overgrown bundle of feathers!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. The Eagle was just above him now. Even when it fought with only one talon, it was still a formidable foe against the swans. Blood was spilt from both sides. Allistor couldn't imagine what sort of power the Eagle might have had when it was able to use _two_ talons.

_Almost there!_ he thought as he saw the Vox Maiden in the Eagle's talons overhead.

"Allistor!" she cried.

"I'm coming!" he called back. He raised his arms in the air as if by some chance the Eagle would fly low enough for him to grab onto her hands. He was almost there. He could see the distress in her eyes. She was so close…!

"Hang on!" he shouted. "I'm going to—_Argh!_"

Something different struck Allistor. It wasn't a forceful blow like the one he had received from the Eagle. This was softer. He had gone flying again, only this time, he didn't stop.

"What the—? Hey! Stop! No!"

He was on the back of a Swan. Unlike the other Swans, this one was smaller and unscathed by battle wounds. It was as though this Swan had been _tasked_ to do this to him.

"Take me back!" he demanded. "The Vox Maiden's in danger!"

In that very instant, the Swan plopped him back onto the ground, but it hadn't dropped him where he had intended to be.

"Stupid piece of—!"

"I really don't know why the Vox Maiden took a liking to a _Fowl_," a calm, cool voice interrupted him.

Allistor turned behind him. There, standing above him, was a pale figure cloaked in a brilliant white hood with the whitest feathers he had ever seen. Judging by his fair blonde hair and sharp blue eyes, he had to be nothing other than a Swan, himself.

"You're a Swan, aren't you?!" he snarled standing up on his feet. "Why are you interfering? You're only putting the Vox Maiden in more danger!"

"We will take it from here," the man replied in a composed manner. "Besides, if something happened to you, that wouldn't be good for the Vox Maiden, either, now would it?"

Allistor blinked incredulously. "How do you know about that…?"

The Swan tapped his forehead. "I saw it. Now come with me. There are questions to be asked."

"To hell with you!"

Without bothering to look back, Allistor began to run. He didn't care about what those tight white members of royalty had to do with him. He had a promise to fulfill, a promise to keep.

"I didn't think I would have to do this," he could hear the man's icy voice sigh from behind him. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Allistor's legs turned into ice, and he tumbled to ground. A sharp pain began to enter into his back and slowly began to make its way up to his neck and to the back of his skull like a devilish maggot. Something sharp began to ring in his ears like he had been hit on the head with a heavy stone, only, there was no stone, and there certainly was no maggot. The noise had begun to consume him now. He realized that it had been a while before he had gone to sleep without having to worry about anything. He suddenly felt tired. Sleep came to him, an unnatural sleep that would upset the balance between him and the fate of the world.

* * *

_Intervention! For clarification, the royal seer and advisor of the Swans is Norway. The King of Swans is Denmark. _


	7. The Vox Maiden - 7

The King of Swans had been pacing back and forth in his throne room up until his faithful seer and scouting knights had returned. He had never been one to stay still for too long. When they did return, as always, his friend's eyes were as unreadable as ever.

"Well?" he spoke up. "How'd it go?"

The seer averted his eyes away from his king. Victorious or defeated or not, it did not matter. He was impossible to read.

"I have the Fowl," he finally reported. "As for the Vox Maiden, I'm afraid we had to resort to sending more of our men. The King of Eagles sent his own personal hunter to retrieve her. The scouting team we sent was no match."

"Huh." The king sighed. "He wasn't messing around at all this time."

The seer narrowed his eyes and bit down on his lips. This was all too dire, yet at the same time, there was little he could truly do to keep any calamities at bay.

"Sir, no matter what happens, you must understand that the Fowl must never be able to see the Vox Maiden until we retrieve her."

The king wore a questionable look. "And why is that?"

His question triggered an exasperated grunt from the royal seer. Things did not look too well for the current situation.

"I did not expect her attachment to be so strong," he replied. "It may be already too late."

Just then, there was a small tapping on the door. The Swans had not been expecting visitors at his hour.

"Guards at your ready!" the king barked signaling a flock of knights to surround him and the main entrance.

The seer reacted otherwise.

"Open the door," he ordered, his face looking unusually paler than most days.

The king blinked. "Lukas?"

"Open. The. Door."

Mathias looked up. "Open it," he ordered.

A lone knight had flown to the hatch. The knights were still at the ready, their swords prepared to strike down on the enemy should one pass through the cracks.

However, when the grand white door to the throne room swung open, there stood a lone messenger Pigeon with a medium-sized carrying bag. Upon seeing the large gathering of aggressive knights, he flew back in surprise completely appalled.

"My word! Is this how they treat their couriers nowadays!" he gasped, his hand pressing on his rapidly beating chest.

"Many apologies," the King of Swans quickly said. "We've had a recent run-in with a certain enemy of ours. You can never be too sure these days. Do you have a message to bring me?"

The Pigeon shifted uncomfortably in place and darted his eyes around the blades. "I-It's more of a package than an actual message," he stuttered as he fumbled around in his bag. "Here we are."

With that, he presented a sealed basket at the king's feet.

"I-I was not told who sent the package, but I was informed that the receiver would know who it was from," the messenger explained.

"Is that so?" the king responded. "You may go then."

"Oh, yes, thank you very much." On that note, the Pigeon wasted no time hobbling out of the throne room. As soon as he was gone, two knights began to examine the package.

"Permission to open it, Your Highness?" a knight asked.

"Permission granted," the king said. He noticed that his friend had not been feeling well since his return. He had been worried for his safety when he had volunteered to retrieve the Fowl out in the field, but he had not expected the experience to take such a toll on him. As the knights removed the top to the basket, the seer buried his face in his hood and turned away as if something ghastly and unbearable lay inside the basket.

When the top was removed and the knights looked inside, they immediately jumped back, their faces ridden with horror.

"Report?" the king asked.

It took a moment for the knights to regain their composures.

"F-Forgive me, Your Highness," one of them apologized, "but I do not think it is wise to see what lays inside with your own eyes."

"Don't be ridiculous," the king snorted. "I am the king. I am a warrior. I have seen things you couldn't even imagine." Then, he made his way around his knights and looked inside the basket. When he had finally taken his eyes off the contents, he threw up.

* * *

The Vox Maiden was unlike anything that the King of Eagles had imagined. He had thought her to be a magnificent thing of beauty and power. She had appeared no plainer than a common Sparrow.

"You are sure that you have brought me the Vox Maiden?" he asked, unconvinced.

His hunter bowed at his feet. "Yes, I am sure. I would not dream of deceiving you—let alone disobeying you."

The king sneered. "I had expected her to be something spectacular. What good is a powerful being able to control the rhythm of the universe if she looks so plain?"

"I'm afraid I cannot answer that, my king," the hunter responded.

"I did not ask for an answer," the king impatiently snapped. "If the Vox Maiden is not what she appears to be, then I will have your head. It was enough trouble that we may have declared a war against the Swans." He sighed. "No matter. I have not doubt that we will win. And if the Vox Maiden is as she claims to be, then I will have nothing to lose."

"Yes, my king."

And so, the King of Eagles took his leave to the highest tower in the castle. Eagles were a powerful sort and the kind to enjoy high and solitary places. The king would not have had it any other way than to have the Vox Maiden be kept right by his side in his very own chambers.

When ascending the tower, he heard a female voice singing. It was unlike anything he had ever heard. As he continued to make his way towards the top, the song grew louder, its voice a haunting sorrowful melody. This was far more beautiful than the Mocking Birds or the Lyres. It shunned the Nightingales' voice and put the Larks to shame. How could anyone possess such a wonderful voice? Was it even possible?

The king had to find out. He quickened his steps as he continued his ascension. Now, he could clearly make out the words to the song. He could see someone, a man with blazing red hair and forest green eyes. From the clothes being described, he assumed he was a traveler. His red hair, by itself was a dead giveaway that he was a Fowl.

_Why is she singing about a Fowl?_ he wondered. He aimed to find out. He was curious. This song alone had captured him. If this was the Vox Maiden's power, then he sought to use it for his own needs.

Once he finally came to his chambers, the Vox Maiden was clinging to the edges of her cage and singing out to the open window. She was a pitiful creature but a powerful one at that. She had long stopped crying and her entire focus had been invested solely in her song for this mysterious Fowl.

_Why a Fowl, though?_ the King of Eagles thought contemptuously. He was the most powerful ruler in the world. A Fowl was the lowest of the bunch. It could not fly, it could not sing. It was not incredibly strong. It was the closest anything could have called a peasant. It sickened him. He did not want the Vox Maiden to be singing of such a lowly creature, not when she had such a beautiful voice she could have used for greater purposes. Unable to handle the song, he struck the bars of the cage startling the girl and seizing the song from her throat.

"It's time to stop singing about that Fowl, my little bird," he smirked. "I have better things planned for you. Greater things."

The Vox Maiden shook her head. "I must sing," she said. "If I don't, he will not come."

The king gave her a quizzical look. "The Fowl?"

"Not a Fowl," she said, her eyes looking off into the distance with a lonely stare.

"Then what?"

"Not what, either," the Vox Maiden replied never taking her eyes off of the window. "Allistor."

* * *

The traveler woke up in a white room with white sheets and white pillows. He cursed. He knew where he was. Even without knowing, he knew he stood out like a sore thumb. This was no place for him. He had to get out. He had to find the Vox Maiden.

"You're awake."

Allistor jumped. The person that had been responsible for his blackout earlier was standing beside his bed. He had not even seen him when he had opened his eyes.

"Why did you stop me?" he growled. "She was right there. I could have saved her." He looked outside. Sure enough, the ocean that the girl had longed to see was right outside his window. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to have come here with her. He had failed to keep his promises.

"If you had continued to stay with her, you knew what would have happened," the man replied, his voice as lifeless and dull as still water.

Allistor narrowed his venomous green eyes. "Who are you?" he asked.

"I am the King of Swans' royal seer," the man responded. "I have foreseen your fate as well as the Vox Maiden's. I have seen that if you continue to stay with her, the stronger the bond between you will become. You _do_ know what that entitles, yes?"

"Of course," the traveler sighed. "But I didn't think it would happen in that time."

"You thought wrong," the seer said. "Your judgment is ill. It may have cost us the entire universe. But…I fear that it may already be too late."

Allistor scowled. "Where is the Vox Maiden?"

"With the King of Eagles," the seer answered. "We sent some troops to pursue the Eagle, but they returned in a basket." He swallowed. "Only their severed hearts remained."

"I don't care about what it is you Swans and Eagles have against each other," Allistor growled. "That girl will die along with the world if I am not with her."

The seer pierced into his eyes with a cold gaze. "Do you really believe that?" he asked. "Are you that confident that she cannot live without you?"

"You don't know that yourself," the traveler threw back. "This is the first time the Vox Maiden has sung about a human."

"And what a pity that turned out to be…But until she is safe with us, she must not be allowed to see you."

"Why is that?"

"Because seeing you is her wish."

"You would deny the Vox Maiden her wish?"

The seer shook his head. "That is not the true intention. Rather, it is best to wean her off of her hopes. Think about it: if you came to her rescue—whether you succeeded or not—she would continue to hope. When she continues to hope, she will continue to sing. She will stop singing about what she needs to sing about. When that happens, the world will stop turning. You must let her hope for you die."

"That…" Allistor choked. "That's not right. I promised I'd keep her safe."

"Then I'm afraid you're going to have to break that promise in the meantime," the seer said. "The Swans will take care of things from here. It was high time we finally put the king's training into better use." Before leaving, he gave Allistor a little run-down of his state. "I suggest you get some more rest," he said. "That spell I placed on you has not worn off yet. It would make things worse if you tried to escape right now." At last, he left closing the door behind him.

Distraught, Allistor flopped back down on his pillow. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He really had wanted to go to the ocean with the Vox Maiden. He had wanted to see the smile on her face and the wonder in her eyes when she first saw that great body of water that reached as far as the sky. He had wanted to be there by her side.

"Oh no…" he breathed. "This can't be…"

Were these really his feelings? He couldn't remember. It was as though something was interfering with him. Something was there that shouldn't have belonged. He could not bring himself to love the Vox Maiden; he had already promised himself that he would not allow himself to do that. However, as much as he tried to force these thoughts out of his head, there was something else that was irritating him. It was ringing true in his ears, though the notes were buzzing in a silent melody.

He knew it now. It was just like the second time he had left her.

"She's singing about me again," he whispered.


	8. The Vox Maiden - 8

Bits of meat and piles of bones littered the floors. On days like these, the King of Eagles would have yelled at his servants for neglecting their cleanup duties, but today he was completely preoccupied with the frustration the Vox Maiden was giving him.

"Why won't she sing for me?" he hissed under his breath as he threw a bone to the corner of the dining hall. "All she ever sings about is that _damn_ Fowl! Nothing else! I swear on it, I would tear out her throat if I heard one more song about him!"

In the darkest corner of the hall like a trailing shadow, a lone and most peculiar Raven sat awaiting the king's request for advice. Unlike the Eagle, he did not possess superior strength or grace, but what he did have was patience and wisdom.

At long last, the king had lost his patience. "Raven, I suppose you don't have any suggestions, do you?" he growled.

The advisor flinched and smoothed out his long black cloak. "It appears to me that the Vox Maiden simply desires the Fowl's company," he squawked. "Perhaps if you granted her access to him, then she would be willing to obey what you want her to sing about."

The King of Eagles scowled. "I am the most powerful ruler in the entire world. Even the Hawks cower before me. Why should I have to compensate anything to get what I want?"

The Raven thought to roll his eyes and reply with, "If you did not think so highly of yourself and used common sense, then it would be much easier to obtain what you desire."

However, being that he was grateful that the King of Eagles had appointed him as his personal advisor, the Raven gave a different response.

"I have a suggestion: why not find the Fowl? In exchange for his company, you may barter with her to sing for what you desire."

Displeased, the king raised an eyebrow. "You would have me fulfill her request?"

The Raven shrugged. "It's a Fowl for the entire Universe. It's more than a fair trade if you ask me."

"A Fowl…" The king pondered this for a brief moment and then rose from his seat. "Very well. I shall look for this Fowl. My hunter did mention something about another strange person being there. Perhaps it would not be so hard to find him."

"Perhaps not," the Raven croaked to himself.

* * *

For the first time since she could remember, the girl's throat was running sore and dry. She had sung on with no end hoping that Allistor would come to her rescue. She did not understand it. She had thought that he had promised that he would be there. He had promised that he would never leave her.

_So why does he not come?_ she thought, her breath running short of air.

As she rested, the door to the chambers swung open, and the King of Eagles with his grand attire and menacing look approached her cage. An unfamiliar feeling stirred inside her stomach whenever she laid her eyes on him. She felt as though her stomach would burst from tying itself into knots, and her breath would grow hot and suppressed just from hearing his raspy voice. This was different than what she felt like with Allistor. The feeling in her stomach had been light and fluttery like the leaves blowing along the wind. When he would sleep beside her, she had felt safe and warm as though no force in the world could ever touch her. The feelings had to be different.

"I have a deal that I would like to make with you," the King of Eagles said without any introductions or flat-out demands for a different song.

The Vox Maiden backed herself into the farthest end until her skin buried itself against the cold metal. There would be marks later, but she thought of nothing more than to be as far away as possible from this wretched man.

Her silence surprised the king. "This is the first time since you've been captured that I've seen you so quiet," he commented. "Are you perhaps taking my deal into regard?"

Again the Vox Maiden remained quiet. She had nothing she wanted to say to this man.

While she stayed this way, the king took the time to examine the back of his hand, revealing his long, sharp fingernails resembling the talons of his kind.

"You have been singing of this Fowl—of this _Allistor_—ever since you got here," he began. "What would you say if I told you I would bring him here for you?"

This got the girl's attention. Once she heard that, her eyes brightened up, and her posture straightened out.

"You would do that?" she asked.

"I would," the king smiled. "However, before I allow you to see him, I want to ask a few things from you."

The Vox Maiden blinked. She was unfamiliar with trade-offs and bartering. All her life she had been used to things going along with what she desired. It was part of her way of existence, after all.

"In exchange for being reunited with this Allistor of yours, you will have to sing a few different songs for me. Can you do that?"

"Anything," the girl said. "What kind of songs?"

"Songs about me," the King of Eagles said. "I want you to sing of me being the ruler of the universe. I want you to sing of a great army that is under my complete command, one that would die for my wishes. I want you to also sing of a mountain of riches bigger than the world has ever known. It will be my alone and no one else's."

The Vox Maiden only stared. She had not been exposed to such things. She did not know what an army was let alone what it looked like. She had not known what the ocean was like, either, when she sang about it, but being held away from humanity for so long had made her unused to seeing things that revolved solely around mankind.

"I…I do not know of those things," she whispered. "And even if I did…" She pressed her hand to her throat. "I'm afraid I can't sing for the moment. I need to rest."

"All that singing would do that to you," the king muttered. He looked down at the untouched plate of food that he had put out himself since his servants were forbidden to enter his chambers.

"You are not hungry?" he asked.

"I never am," the Vox Maiden replied. "I was told that if I eat, it would be bad for me."

The king snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. Food is energy, and you're letting a lot of it go to waste. It's no wonder you look so ill."

The girl furrowed her eyebrows. "You think so?" All of this time, she could only remember Allistor. She had trusted him with her life because he had been the only one she knew of. What if he had been lying to her at some points? He had lied to her about keeping his promise. Even after she had sung until her mouth ran dry, he had still not come to her rescue. Maybe Allistor had been the wrong one all along.

Then, the King of Eagles unlocked the door and pushed the food closer to her.

"You should eat," he said. "It will be better for you if you have something in your stomach."

The girl looked upon the plate filled with various colorful fruits and dainty cheeses and meats. These things looked different from what Allistor had eaten, yet all the same, the colors on his plate suddenly looked appealing to her. She did not know what was good food as none of it had ever passed through her mouth.

_Would this help me?_ she wondered. _Allistor had told me that it would hurt me…Allistor had said…_

"Hey…Are you crying?" The king sounded flustered. He did not know what he might have said to make her feel this way. It wasn't so much so that he was troubled that he had hurt her feelings; rather, he was afraid that anything he might have said against her would cause her to grow silent again. He was already doing what he could to hold his patience together. It was strange having to submit himself so low to please this person. He needed her, and yet he couldn't bring himself to understand how she could prove to be so fascinating. It might have even been that he was upset that she had been singing of someone else for a different reason.

"Please eat," he urged holding a single grape up to her lips. Since she refused he had to carefully press the fruit past her lips and into her mouth. When she bit down, she stopped crying. At first he had feared that he might have done something wrong. What if she wasn't able to ingest something like this? She had never touched her food up until now.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle and shaky.

"No," the Vox Maiden responded, tearstains still streaked across her cheeks. "It's good."

* * *

Mathias, the King of Swans, had seen to Allistor, the Fowl responsible for setting the Vox Maiden free from her cage. Because of her and because of him, he had lost good men, men that he had trained with since they were young, eager children who had dreamed of serving under his wing one day.

"So you are the Fowl my friend has told me about," he said, his arms crossed in a defying manner.

The Fowl in turn narrowed his gaze. "What of it?" he snarled.

"Because of you, some of my best men have died. The Vox Maiden has fallen under the talons of the Eagles, and the world as we know it may fall under complete control of the King of Eagles."

"And I suppose _I'm_ to be blamed for it?" the redhead asked.

"Yes, I would like to think so," the king replied. "Normally I would be forgiving, but this is anything but a light-hearted matter. Lives are at stake, and we may now be at war with the Eagles." He gave a quick examination of his figure. "You are a Fowl, but you are able to hear the Vox Maiden's songs. You are not of royal blood, and yet you share the same traits only given by those of the chosen few. Just who _are_ you, anyway?"

"I'm just a traveler and one that doesn't like staying in one place for very long," the Fowl snapped.

"My friend, if we wanted to let you go, we wouldn't have even brought you here."

"Don't call me a friend, you overgrown Goose!"

"Hey, now that wasn't very nice," the king frowned. "You should be lucky you even get to be in my personal company."

"Ha," the Fowl dryly laughed. "Then you shouldn't think that all Fowls are as humble as they are ranked." He paused. "When will you be able to locate the Vox Maiden?"

The king stared out of the window. "We have already sent an army to combat the Eagles," he said. "Although it is technically a rescue mission, we cannot risk losing more than we already have. The Eagles may be powerful, but they are few in number. This time, we will surely have them."

"And what happens when the Vox Maiden is retrieved?"

"From there, my friend will rework her memories. When she is fixed, we will put her back inside the cage. It will be as if she had never known you."

"Rework her memories?" the traveler repeated. "You would really put her back inside that cage?"

"Seeing as how you know what she is, you should know that the world is not safe for her. To protect the world, we must protect her. The two coexist alongside one another."

"It's not fair that she should protect the world without even knowing what it is."

"That's not my problem," the King of Swans said. "What matters is preserving the world's existence. I'm sure even the King of Eagles is sensible enough to know that— "

"Sir!"

Everything stopped, and all heads tuned towards the royal seer whose face had once again grown as pale as a sheet.

"Lukas? What is it?" the king asked.

"It's the hunter," the seer shuddered. "He's coming for the Fowl."

* * *

Allistor had been put under heavy guard at the basement of the castle where the dungeons were.

_It's not like it's much different that the room they gave me_, he testily thought to himself. _This whole castle's like a huge prison to someone like me._

"Any signs of the Eagle yet?" one of the captains asked the scouter as he returned.

"No signs of him yet," he reported. "All skies are clear. There is nothing in sight."

The captain rubbed his chin in thought. "The king's royal seer has never been wrong before. He _will_ come. He looked at Allistor. "You, there, Fowl, make sure you stay close to the center or that raptor is going to pluck you straight off the ground."

"Don't need to remind me," Allistor grumbled. He remembered what had happened. The Eagle had grabbed the Vox Maiden straight out of his arms at the foot of a waterfall. He knew that Eagles were sure fliers, but he had never imagined that they could have been _that_ extraordinary.

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from above. The entire ceiling shook which sent disturbed dust and residue to shake towards off the walls.

"He's here!" someone cried.

"Alright, men!" the captain roared. "Remember that our first priority is to keep the Fowl safe!"

_Why can't they address me by my name?_ Allistor thought, irritated.

"Our second priority to ensure the safety of our king! The Eagles must not let them overpower us again!"

"Aye!" the soldiers cried.

_I'm wasting my time!_ Allistor angrily shouted to himself. _If the Eagles want me, they can have me! The Vox Maiden needs me!_

Try as he did, however, he couldn't find a window of opportunity to sneak away from his guards. He was heavily watched on all sides of him like a shopper being squeezed at a bazaar. All he could do was wait and hope that the Eagles would break down the Swans' defenses. It mattered not who won or who lost. His only focus was reuniting with the Vox Maiden.

* * *

From the outside, the castle was being raided from multiple sides. Things had not gone as expected. The Eagles' army was greater in number as opposed to the vision that the royal seer had predicted. Each Eagle alone was powerful enough to take out an entire flank of Swans with the right precision. There had to at least be seven Eagles.

_The most powerful army indeed!_ the King of Swans thought as he directed one flank towards the west side of the castle. Blood had already been spilt from both sides; however from the looks of things, the Swans would be outnumbered soon. The most embarrassing part was that it was obvious that this was just a raid—not a declared war. If it had been, the King of Eagles, himself, would have surely arrived at the scene.

"Mathias, I need to be taken somewhere quiet," his friend panted looking as ill as ever.

"Lukas, what's the matter?" the king gasped.

"Another vision," the seer murmured. "I cannot remain here any longer. It's going to fade."

The king then sheathed his sword and called out for a small team of soldiers to escort Lukas back to the castle. It was not the safest place, however. Reinforcements from the opposing side had arrived, and unlike the large and powerful eagles, these were the swift and sharp Falcons. With the Eagles distracting the majority of the Swans, the Falcons had no problems maneuvering through the castle walls and straight into the open areas.

_Lukas, my friend, please be careful_, Mathias thought as he saw the seer disappear back into the castle.

When the seer had at last arrived back in his room, he shut himself inside and collapsed on his bed. He could see it now: no matter how much they would retaliate, the Swans would lose. Either way, the Fowl would find a way to get to the castle where the Vox Maiden was being held. Beyond that, however, everything went black. It was as though he had gone blind, and for a brief moment, Lukas feared that he had.

It wasn't until his vision came back to him that he felt troubled. He couldn't see beyond the Fowl going to the Eagles. It was almost as if it was something that he wasn't supposed to see. It frightened him, but that couldn't matter to him now. If he did not report back to the king, then more casualties would result. Allistor had to be given up to the Eagles after all.

* * *

News of Allistor's return brought new songs to the Vox Maiden's voice. With her wish of seeing him in the process of being fulfilled, she began to sing of the places that she had visited with him.

As she sang, the King of Eagles stood listening to each melody. He had remembered the waterfall that the Vox Maiden had sung of. It was there that he had first taught his faithful hunter how to fly from when he was but a small adolescent. From there, he remembered what it had been like soaring down the river that she had walked along, the clear waters reflecting the colors of the sky back to his eyes.

How had he forgotten these things? Somewhere along the way he had become so preoccupied with his conquest that he had lost sight of what lay in front of him. If he became the ruler of the world, he would not have the time to be able to enjoy such trivial luxuries. So as long as he had the Vox Maiden, he would never have to bother seeing them again; she could sing of the places that he had forgotten for him, but first, he had to be sure that she wouldn't sing of anything other than the things he desired.


	9. The Vox Maiden - Final

"Alright, _Fowl_, move along," Allistor heard one of the Eagles screech. "The king demands an audience with you, and we don't want to keep him waiting."

_No, we don't_, Allistor thought as he moved along with his escorts (also known as his kidnappers).

Allistor had thought it was unusually suspicious when the King of Swans suddenly gave him up to the Eagles without any resistance. He had been wary of their actions; they would not have done so unless they knew that something dire was underway. Whatever the reason was, neither the seer nor the king would say anything about it. And so, the Eagles had taken him back to their king's castle, and the Falcons had retreated far away to the high cliffs in the north.

When he had arrived at the gates of the castle, he instantly recognized the barren landscapes that the Eagles had called home. It was a fairly inhospitable place fit for only the strongest of the strong. He had even heard that the Eagles had to go hunting down below close to the forests and rivers in order to survive since food was so scarce. It was hard to imagine that scroungers like these could ever be so powerful.

Everything about the Eagles' castle was height: the ceilings were high, the stairs were high, and even the structure, itself, was built on a high place far from the rest of the world. Allistor's heart nearly dropped when he was told that the king requested that he be taken to his personal chambers all the way at the highest tower. He wasn't looking forward to anymore walking. The Eagles could fly. Why couldn't they just take him there? To say it was an inconvenience was more than an understatement.

But, at long last, they eventually reached the top of the highest tower in front of a grand door (that was also quite tall). When the escorts knocked on the door, it slowly creaked open as though a ghost had passed through.

"Enter, Fowl," a raspy voice echoed through the wide crack.

From behind him, Allistor heard the other Eagles turning to leave.

"This is as far as we are permitted to go," one of them said. "Your fate lies within the talons of the King of Eagles now."

On that note, they began their long descend back towards the main body of the castle. Allistor, on the other hand, was not looking too pleased to have come here completely defenseless. If the Swans had meant to give him up like a peace offering, then he would have thought that it was highly cowardly of them. Even the Doves would have negotiated a better deal that this.

Nevertheless, he slowly stepped inside. Although the air was supposed to have been thinner at such a high altitude, he couldn't help but feel that the atmosphere as he began to make his way into the king's chambers was heavy with something thick and ill-intended.

The first he noticed was how empty most of the room was. He had expected it to be adorned with lavish trophies from one of the Eagles' many raids and conquests of land. It was surprisingly tidier than the Crows' kingdom, though with the tension in the air, he couldn't say that this place was any better.

"Allistor!"

The traveler automatically turned in the direction of the voice. He knew it all too well, a light on the tone and pleasing to the ears. The Vox Maiden was staring straight at him through the bars of a cage.

"You came...!" she breathed.

Something stirred in Allistor's heart. He was relieved that she was safe and yet there was a different feeling in his body that he was experiencing. He had longed to hear her voice again and see the smile on her face. He had wanted to be with her, and in a way, the Vox Maiden's wishes through her songs had guided him to her. That, unfortunately, was a problem.

"You're safe," he said and came to her side. The girl extended her arms out through the cage and reached for his arms. It was then that Allistor was beginning to understand. It was not so much that the Swans had wanted to give him up so easily—rather, the Vox Maiden had made it possible for him to be here.

"Allistor…" the girl whispered. "Hold me. You promised. You promised you would come if I sang for you."

This couldn't have been. No matter what angle he viewed it as, Allistor could not bring himself to be any closer to the girl than he currently was. As it stood, if he allowed himself to be near her, he would break the most important rule of all.

"I did," he said. "You sang for me so I came here, but I cannot do anymore than that."

The girl pursed her dainty lips into a delicate little frown. "I don't understand. Why not? You said you would take me to the ocean. I want to see it with you. You promised you would take me."

Allistor understood why the seer had let him come here now. He had known that if something bad were to happen to Allistor—something permanent—then it would, without a doubt, extinguish any hopes the Vox Maiden would have of him. Once those were gone, things were supposed to go back to the way they were.

Unfortunately, that was impossible for someone like Allistor. No matter what, it was already too late. As he realized this, his hand absentmindedly moved to the scar that streaked across his cheek where his brother had cut him. He understood why he had been so furious now. Allistor had been too ignorant to see it at the time. He had never expected anything like this to happen, and yet here he was right in front of the girl who had summoned him before her cage.

"I'm sorry," he choked. "I can't."

The Vox Maiden stared at him with her large eyes. Under normal circumstances, he would not have wanted to hurt her feelings in any way, but this had to be done. He realized that if he continued to see her, the cycle would never end. This had to be put to a stop.

"No…" She shook her head. "Allistor, I'm right here. You came for me, didn't you? You came to take me to the ocean, right?"

"Aye, I'm here, but not because I wanted to be," he said in a distant, cold voice.

The girl's eyes were beginning to sparkle against the dim grey light in the tower. Allistor noticed that she had pressed her body so hard against the bars that the skin around her shoulders was beginning to grow a sore red. She was desperate to be with him. He knew that. It hurt him, but he knew this couldn't be. He would have to leave her for good this time. He could not afford to come back.

"You see," he began, "whatever you sing for will happen. Promise or not, it wouldn't matter; it would come true if you wished for it to. I could go to the ends of the world, but your songs would bring me back to you. I will never be able to escape you. For me, as it stands, there's only one way to ensure that you never sing about me or think about me anymore."

"Don't say that!" the girl cried. "You promised me! You took me out of the cage so that I could see the world with you." Her legs went limp, and her head began to hang like a broken marionette. "I would not have sung for my freedom if I had been alone. I…I need you, Allistor..."

He tore his eyes away from her. He knew that, of course, but that was exactly why he couldn't afford to be with her anymore. What would happen if she stopped singing? What would she do if she was completely satisfied with him?

"I came here to say goodbye," he finally said. "I thought you deserved to see me one last time before I…before I go. This time, though, don't sing for me anymore. I won't be coming back."

"No…" the Vox Maiden sniffed. "Allistor don't leave me again! I love you!"

Allistor stopped. It was as he thought.

"Aye…" he smiled. "I know."

The Vox Maiden's pleas fell on deaf ears. He had to block out her voice if he was going to be able to break off his final ties with her. The sooner he could do that, the better. As he began to move away from her, he noticed the air in the room had grown considerably colder as though death had come in through the door. What hadn't been in the room was now standing in front of him like the very bringer of death, himself.

"You must be the King of Eagles," he assumed.

"That I am," the king sneered.

The King of Eagles wasn't taller than Allistor—he might have been shorter than him as strange as it was. Much like the other Eagles, he had a snide, arrogant expression about him. The unusual thing about him was his overall appearance. Allistor thought that he would have had darker hair and golden eyes, but the king sported an odd contrast of hair as white as snow and eyes as red as the setting sun.

"You know," Allistor said, "I think if it weren't for her songs, you would not have brought me here to begin with. I'd think it would be unlike you to show that kind of leniency."

"You may be right there," the King of Eagles half-heartedly admitted. "But from the way you worded your departure to her, I believe you know what must happen in order for you to break your ties from her, correct?"

Allistor silently nodded. He dared not look back for fear of changing his mind about his decision.

The King of Eagles scowled. "You know something, Fowl? I don't know you, but I hate you. I despise every fiber of your existence with a burning passion. Do you know why that is?"

"Likewise, I don't know you so I wouldn't know why," Allistor haughtily replied.

The king prodded a long, sharp finger into his chest. "It's because you're anything _but_ special. You are nothing more to this world than a wanderer and yet you are able to heard the Vox Maiden's songs. You do not possess any special attributes of speed, power, or even flight and yet the Vox Maiden would only sing of you. You don't deserve anything from her and yet she would openly confess her love to you—but _why?_"

"As if I could answer those questions myself…" Allistor murmured.

The King of Eagles snorted. "I will not miss you when you are gone."

Allistor frowned. "Could you promise me at least one thing before you kill me?"

"And what would that be?"

"Please take good care of her."

The Eagle laughed a dry, shrill laugh only a true Eagle could. "That I can assure you—unlike the empty promises you made to her."

"Then I have no further requests but that you do it here," Allistor said.

This made the king troubled. "You will make a mess of my personal chambers."

"She has to see it. If she doesn't, she will still sing."

The King of Eagles sighed. "Very well. I shall do it here. Any last words?"

"No," Allistor replied.

* * *

Lukas awoke with a start. It had been a long time before he had received any visions since the Swans had given up Allistor to the Eagles. However, he had suddenly seen red—lots of red.

Such a tremendous amount of crimson had completely flooded his dreams and began to burn. It was as though his whole body was on fire, consumed by flames and hot oil. As he placed his hand on his forehead, he realized that he was sweating.

"I was wrong," he gasped. "We all were. Even the Fo—even Allistor."

At first, he thought of going to the king to report his vision, but he stopped. What could he do at this point? What power did he have against something that he could only see…and not control?

Distraught, he rested his head on his pillow and stared at the ceiling. No matter what happened from here on out, it was no longer something that the Swans, the Eagles, or any other kingdom could have changed now.

* * *

The Vox Maiden had screamed unlike any humane creature had ever screamed before. It sounded of the most heart-broken creature and cried out with as much sorrow as one would when someone lost a lover. All the same, it had been a beautiful sound that had the power to bring tears to those who heard its majestic voice.

Allistor's body lay flat across the barren stone floor; blood poured from the wound that the King of Eagles had left in his gut. As his life slowly faded away, the king examined his dripping red hand. He did not understand it. He had always felt such satisfaction in killing; it had been something that reminded him that he was stronger than anyone else—and yet when he had killed this Fowl, he had felt nothing.

The Vox Maiden's body was covered with sores now. She had repeated Allistor's name over and over again like a broken record pleaded for him to wake up and come to her side. Try as she did, she could not break free from the bars that separated her between the one she loved. No amount of singing would bring back his return.

"Allistor!" she shrieked. "Allistor…!"

She had never seen blood before. She had never seen someone die in all of her life. It had been a bond that was universal. Upon seeing the king's bare hand run through his abdomen, something had told her that Allistor would not be coming back. She couldn't understand it. It wasn't fair. She had liked the feelings she had felt towards him.

_So why, then? Why did he have to die?_

Unable to contain her feelings, the Vox Maiden began to sing. She sang of the one she had just lost, of the memories she had carried with him. It was a sweet song, a sad song heavier than the weight of the burden she had carried with her voice. The King of Eagles had thought it was just the wind that had caused his eyes to water at first, but he soon realized that it was the sheer power of her song that had brought the tears to his eyes.

And then, suddenly, without warning, the air grew warm.

The blood that had run out of Allistor's body began to steam—not from the cold but from the otherworldly heat that appeared. Soon, the steam had turned into smoke, and from there, the smoke had ignited into sparks. As with any sparks that caught on flammable matter, so, too, did Allistor's body burst into flames.

The King of Eagles stepped back, his red eyes glowing with a fiery aura of bewilderment. It was then that he realized why Allistor had been able to hear the Vox Maiden's songs all along. He had never been a Fowl—at least, not to his knowledge.

"No…" he whispered as the flames grew larger and larger until it threatened to consume the entire room. "He was—_is_— !"

And then, an explosion.

Gone was the body of a fallen man. The blood had completely vanished as was the chilled wind that whistled through the isolated tower. When the flames had disappeared, in the place of Allistor's previous form was the forgotten but most powerful entity of all.

~~~~~

"Allistor wasn't a Fowl after all."

"Pardon?" Mathias coughed after nearly choking on his drink.

"I don't think even _he_ knew what he was. They are so rare, it was remarkable that we were even lucky enough to see one in its first form."

The King of Swans swallowed another helping of bread. "So, then, what is he?"

Lukas looked outside at the setting sun, its colors casting a fiery canvas of colors against the ocean's surface.

"He is a Phoenix."

* * *

"I don't believe it."

It wouldn't have been hard to disagree with the King of Eagles. Such things were thought to have died out of existence. They had become things of the legends, completely forgotten of their appearances and everything that made them who they were. At long last, it was clear why Allistor had been able to hear the Vox Maiden's songs. He wasn't of royal blood at all—he was _beyond_ it.

Allistor examined his new body. He couldn't believe it himself. He had really thought he had left the world of the living. The last thing he could remember was the Vox Maiden's voice and a ball of fire. Now, here he was back in the same place he had died except his body was adorned with a cape of brilliant red and golden feathers. If he had a kingdom to rule, one could have easily claimed that he was a king.

"Allistor!" he heard the Vox Maiden gasp.

The Phoenix made a sheepish grin. He hadn't meant to make her so upset like that—not when he had been reborn only a few minutes later. If he had known of his true identity, he would have never taken such rash actions.

"I'm sorry," he apologized. "I-I didn't mean to make you cry like that."

The Vox Maiden smiled. "It's fine," she breathed in relief. "You are alright. That's all that matters to me."

Then, without a word, the King of Eagles walked over to the cage and unlocked the door. For a moment, both the Vox Maiden and Allistor merely stood in surprise that the king of the strongest kingdom would do something like that.

"Go," he said to the girl. "You are both free to go."

"B-But why?" the girl asked.

"Because you obviously cannot be without each other," the King of Eagles said. "No matter how many times I kill this Fo— No matter how many times I kill _Allistor_, he will always continue to come back."

The Vox Maiden stared at him. "Allistor, what are you?"

The question made Allistor uncomfortable. He had always thought of himself as a Fowl until the moment he had cheated death—nothing more, nothing less. Knowing his true identity was something that was…

"Unbelievable," the King of Eagles sighed impatient with the awkward silence. "He's a Phoenix, the most powerful and grandest being of the entire world. He is practically an immortal being—meaning he cannot die." He looked at Allistor. "If I cannot kill you, you will not be able to stop singing for him. If that is the case, there is really nothing I can do to make you bend towards my wishes. On top of that…" He looked befuddled. "Allistor is higher than me in rank. Though I have not done so for a long time, it is against my policy to go against those who are better than me."

"Interesting policy," Allistor mumbled," but it works just fine with me. We will be going now."

The King of Eagles raised an eyebrow. "And where would you be going to?" he asked.

"The ocean," the traveler replied. "You've set us back a bit, but I'm sure we will still be able to get there safely."

"You do not want me to get you there?" the king asked. "It's the least I could do after what I had done to you."

Allistor smirked. "I don't think you'll want to be going back there after what you've done to the Swan's kingdom."

"Perhaps not," the king agreed.

"Then let us go, Allistor," the Vox Maiden beamed, her spirits completely recovered. "I want to see the ocean."

"Of course."

"Oh…and Allistor…?"

The Phoenix looked straight into the Vox Maiden's hesitant eyes. "What is it?" he asked.

"I'm hungry."

* * *

When the Phoenix and the Vox Maiden had at long last reached the ocean, the King of Swans and his royal seer were waiting at the edge of the beach to greet them into their land.

"You've made it!" the king beamed and reached out to shake Allistor's hand in greeting. "It took a while seeing as how you didn't fly, but Lukas, here, predicted that you would come sooner or later."

"Allistor, is this the King of Swans?" the Vox Maiden asked recalling her companion mentioning something about how untamed and upright the King of Swans' hair was.

"Right you are, little maiden!" the king laughed. "So you told her all about how great I am, did you, Fo—uh, I mean—Allistor?"

"He told me about how loud and obnoxious you were," the Vox Maiden replied causing the king's ego to deflate like a popped air sac.

Allistor turned his attention to the seer.

"The Vox Maiden is here," he said. "Are you really going to 'rework' her memories as you said you would?"

Lukas stared at the girl with his deep blue eyes, his gaze unwavering and unreadable.

"She has eaten human food, correct?" he asked.

"Correct," Allistor responded. The Vox Maiden had admitted that the King of Eagles had fed her grapes upon which she had taken a liking to human food.

"Then I'm afraid keeping her in the cage will be impossible," Lukas then said.

"Because she can no longer survive without food," Allistor answered for himself.

"That is right."

"And what of her feelings towards me? You do know about that, I'm assuming?"

The seer pressed his lips together and eyed his king. The King of Swans promptly cleared his throat.

"Er, well, Lukas has been keeping an eye on you two, and down the road, it looks like you two are going to be fine—same goes for the world."

"Really?" Allistor replied narrowed his eyes. "And what about saying that the Vox Maiden was not allowed to fall in love with me?"

Lukas grunted. "As blunt as it's going to sound, you made the right decision trying to end your own life. I had feared that in time, if you had spent the rest of your mortal life with the Vox Maiden, she would have grown complacent upon your passing. Since that is no longer the case, I would say it's safe to assume you will be sure to watch over her, and you will ensure she continues to sing about the things she should sing about. After all, you _are_ her official guardian; you realize that, do you not?"

"Aye," Allistor grumbled, "but I didn't understand it when my brother told me about it."

Lukas sighed. "There can only be one Phoenix in the family at a time. It was no wonder I had not seen the signs earlier."

"Allistor, what's taking so long?" the Vox Maiden whined. "I want to see the ocean!"

The king laughed. "And you shall see it. It's right behind us. Maybe when you're done, you can pay our castle a visit? We've finished the repairs on the damages the Eagles and Falcons have caused."

"I'd like that!" the girl smiled. "Allistor, may we?"

The Phoenix chuckled and rubbed the top of her head. "Whatever you wish is my command, little maiden."

"Then we shall wait until you are done with your trip along the shore," Lukas said. "In the meantime, Mathias and I must— "

"You're too stiff, Lukas!" the king laughed and dragged his friend after the Phoenix and Vox Maiden. "Come on! Let's go with them!"

"Sir, please…" Lukas grunted. "Your clothes—my clothes, too—they'll be soiled."

"What are the odds that the voice of the world and her guardian come to our beach for fun?"

The royal seer let out a heavy sigh. "I suppose those chances _are_ rather slim. Even I cannot predict the next time we might see them again."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

But as the two friends made their way to the shoreline, they stopped as they heard a song. The Vox Maiden was singing towards the open ocean. With the ocean breeze against her back, the song traveled along many breaths of the wind, the lyrics filled with nothing but her love for her guardian.

"It's beautiful stuff," the King of Swans murmured. His friend agreed.

Allistor remained silent taking in each and every note and sound that came from the girl's lungs in the form of a musical masterpiece. He was able to understand how much she had truly felt for him through her songs, alone. He needed nothing else.

"Allistor…" the Vox Maiden exhaled when she had at last finished. "Do you love me?"

"As much as you want me to," he answered.

She blinked. "But…even without my songs, would you still love me all the same?"

"Of course," he said, and he meant it.

"Then can you say it for me?"

"I love you."

The Vox Maiden smiled. "Can you say it again? I like the sound of it."

"I love you," Allistor repeated.

Again, the Vox Maiden smiled. "It really sounds nice."

The Phoenix chuckled. "Hard to imagine that after hearing your songs for so long."

"It's the truth."

"Ah…You little rascal."

"Oi, Vox Maiden!" they heard the King of Swans call to her. "Let's go this way! I know a spot where there are seals!"

"What are seals?" the Vox Maiden asked.

"Worthless sacks of fat and skin," Allistor answered.

"Really? I want to see!"

Before Allistor could stop her, the girl had already run off after the king. Meanwhile, the seer had stayed behind so that he could speak with the Phoenix.

"I think she will be in good hands," he said. "I have not had any ill visions since your first cycle has come and gone."

"So you Swans are also fine with me staying with her," Allistor said.

Lukas shrugged. "Even if we did not want to be so, that is what the Vox Maiden wishes. It would have been better if she had returned to her previous life, but seeing as how she cannot survive alone, anymore, we have no choice but to entrust her with your care." He turned and faced the traveler. "You _are_ a Phoenix, after all. It had to be fate that brought you two together—even before you had met the Vox Maiden. Though…I had not thought that she would fall in love with someone like you so quickly."

Allistor made a face. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Forgive me," the seer said, his expression unchanged. "I was simply speaking my thoughts. However, it looks like things will be well. You are both immortal, and you are both compatible for each other. You would do well to make sure she is safe and fulfills her responsibilities."

"You make it sound as if you're marrying her off," the Phoenix joked.

This made the seer nearly crack a smile. "In a way, I almost am. She will remain with you until the end of the world's days, after all. You are fine with that?"

"Aye, I am."

"As I thought."

"Allistor!" the Vox Maiden called. "Come quick! The seals are big!"

The seer rolled his eyes and quickened his pace. "We should hurry then," he said. "You don't want to keep her waiting, do you?"

"I wouldn't dream of it," Allistor replied as he walked to rejoin them.

The End

* * *

Thank you very much for reading~ The stories don't stop here. There are several tales to be told in Velavaren. This is but one of them.


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